Seventh, the Dragoon
by Arrixam
Summary: Part two of the Dragoon series.
1. Previously on the Dragoon series!

The sun.

To a Devil, it wasn't a welcoming presence. As creatures born out of the cold darkness of the Underworld, the sun was a representation to the brilliance of their enemy who sat atop His throne in the high heavens. The sun, bright and blazing, was like a heavy weight on their shoulders and a thousand needles prickling at their skin. Their great ancestors hadn't been like this, for they had been capable of withstanding the luminous rays of the highest Angels. It was through generations of evolution and confrontation with the Heavens did the Devils grow such a bad tolerance to a sun.

However, that _mostly_ applied to pureblooded Devils. It had an even less of an affect to Reincarnated Devils.

To Hyoudou Issei, who was more Dragon than he was Devil, the sun did not bother him as much. True, he felt a small burden when exposed to sunlight but at his level of magnificence it was hardly noticed. He marveled at this sensation; just a few months ago and he was cursing at the glowing orb hundreds of thousands miles away. Now, after spending two weeks stuck in recovery in his dark room, he welcomed the sun.

"Dragoon-chan," Serafall Leviathan wiped a little bit of sweat from her brow. "You're heavier than I remembered. You must have gained weight since last time we did this."

From what she had explained to him before it wasn't a literal weight. Though… she wasn't wrong; he gained a good amount of muscle since his brawl against the Vampire.

Serafall had explained to him the reason why he couldn't use any summoning magic was because his output of demonic energy was far too low. A clinical analysis from some of the Sitri staff that visited his home one day said he didn't even have enough energy to support his own life. He could only produce _half_ of the required amount for his Pawn Pieces. The other half was coming from his master, Rias.

Now, he _could_ use summoning magic, provided if he found someone else who could support the cost for using the teleportation. Issei's level was so high not even the collective efforts of everyone in the Occult Research Room could send him a single meter forward. It took someone at the level of a Maou— Serafall Leviathan— to get him to go anywhere.

"Thank you very much for your assistance, Leviathan-sama," said Rias as she gave a light bow.

"Yeah, thanks, but uh…" Issei scratched the back of his head. "You didn't have to do all this. You could have gone straight here and I could have followed by flying—"

"No!" argued everyone in the party. Everyone.

"I-It's better to go as a party, don't you think Ise-kun?" Akeno asked with her mirthful smile… and a bead of sweat glistening on her brow. She did well to wipe it off by playing it off as brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"This is a celebration, isn't it?" asked Irina next with a nervous smile. "There's no need for you to trouble yourself, ah ha ha ha ha…"

Before he could say anything else, Rias jabbed a finger at his chest. She pouted, "Ise, we don't want you doing anything excessive. You just got the clear to get out of bed."

"You say that but I'm the one carrying all the stuff…" he couldn't help but sigh.

It had only been a week since the incident at the cathedral. He had been stuck in his bed for the majority of the time in order to recover. Two and a half weeks 'recovering'. Really, he thought he was fine enough to walk out of the house after the first week but both Ludwig and the Sitri doctors told him otherwise. If the medical experts said so then he couldn't go against them.

His senses told him they were lying. He couldn't figure out why but knew nothing about medicine to counter their fancy and highly complex words. He had no idea what a diaphragm was or what its purpose was. He was pretty sure it was next to his kidney… or he was being a moron and was making an idiot of himself.

Nearly three weeks would have been fine if he had something to do to pass the time. The members of the Occult Research Club had school. Apparently Xenovia and Irina enrolled into Kuoh Academy as well and joined the club but didn't become Devils. And Serene was off working on some project that she kept mum to everyone. Rias only told him it was nothing for him to worry about and it was her personal business when she was ready to share.

He almost regretted burning his porn magazines. But such a thought was borderline blasphemy. He made them to be offerings for his gods of debauchery and couldn't take them back.

But what was most strange was the lack of outside interaction. All of the televisions had been reprogrammed to broadcast Underworld cable. And the router for the internet was busted so he couldn't access anything. He couldn't find his phone either for that matter. Neither of his buds nor any of his clients had asked for him as far as he was aware.

He ended up spending most of his time watching **Miracle Levia-tan**.

What disturbed him the most… he actually liked it.

It was from that thought that pushed him over the edge. He felt _fine_ and demanded to stretch his legs. Being confined to the house was suffocating. The isolation was killing him. It reminded him of the three years he spent alone without his parents.

 _"Ise,"_ Rias had said when he complained about this. _"If you don't behave and listen to the doctor's advice then we're going to just go to the beach without you."_

That had gotten his attention. He knew threw this bone to keep him calm. He knew it was all a trick. But he was a sucker for these sorts of things. So he played fetch and listened to his master's decree.

After all, the beach meant water activities and sunbathing. And that meant swimwear. And that meant boobs. Glorious, glorious boobs.

And _everyone_ in the Occult Research Club was beautiful.

He didn't expect Serene, Xenovia, and Irina to tag along though. Or Serafall. But, hey, they were all just as gorgeous. He _really_ wanted to see Serafall in a swimsuit.

Hours staring at her mini skirt as Miracle Levia-tan with some damnable magic preventing him from catching a panty shot just pissed him off. Stupid kid's show…

"D-Does Ise not want to be here… with… with me…?" asked Asia with her large eyes and tears threatening to fall out.

He felt a stab of pain through his heart. "W-What?! No! Of course I want to spend time with Asia! I love Asia! I'm more than glad to be here with Asia!"

She gave a sigh of relief. Though her feelings were genuine, the whole scene had been a ruse. Asia turned back to Rias and gave a thumbs-up. And Rias returned the gesture with a twinkle in her eye and a nod of pride. They did this while he was in clear view to see the entire exchange.

It was really starting to bother him what they were trying to hide from him.

"Here, Ise-kun, let me help you with those," said Yuuto as he came to his side.

Instantly Issei leapt twenty feet away from the blonde Devil. His body was a flicker with how fast he moved. "No way! You keep your distance! Don't think I haven't forgotten about what you did!"

Yuuto gave a light chuckle as he waved his hand. "Come on, Ise-kun. Everyone else was nursing you back to health. I was only trying to be a good friend and help you as well."

"Good friends don't change genders and try to seduce their friends!" Issei shouted to the high heavens.

"Hmm. Seduce…?" Yuuto's smile thinned down as he tilted his head in thought. "That wasn't really my intention. But… I'm glad to know I was pretty enough to make you happy, Ise-kun."

"THOSE AREN'T THINGS BOYS SAY TO ANOTHER!"

There was a story in this. But it was one Issei would very much rather not remember. He went as far as to ask _hypothetical_ questions to one of the doctors and follow through with their answer and stab his brain at the precise location where the memory had resided. Unfortunately, his draconian body regenerated the tissue… including the nerves and cells that kept the memory.

He can never forget the existence that was Kiba _Yumi._

God was surely dead if something like this was allowed to happen.

"…I don't know whether to add fuel to the fire or to be jealous myself," muttered Rias as she and the girls around her watched Yuuto approach Issei while Issei used one of the umbrellas to keep him at bay.

"I vote for jealousy," answered Akeno. She sighed and put a hand on her cheek as her mind drifted back to that fruitful day. "They were together in bed. Alone. Yuuto's hands on Ise's bare chest. Staring passionately into another's eyes. Even someone like a Predator didn't notice we had been standing there the whole time as they inched closer and closer to—"

"I'M NOT YOUR DONUT!" Issei suddenly shouted, dropped everything, and started to run down the shoreline.

"Ise-kun! Wait! Let me at least put sunscreen on you! The sun is bad for Devils!"

…And Yuuto chased after him.

"Boys tend to behave this way," came Serene's words of wisdom. "They have their spats and solve their problems through force. Just watch as Yuuto there mounts Master and greases him up. I've binoculars for those who can't see that far."

True to her words, out of seemingly nowhere, she produced a few pairs of pocket-sized binoculars. Enough for everyone.

And half of the girls took them to watch what she had observed. Most of them drooled. Asia fainted after some blood dripped out of her nose.

"…Buchou."

"Yes Akeno?"

"I fear Yuuto has more points than we do."

"I fear the same as well. We should do something about this."

"I couldn't agree with you more. But first…"

Both Rias and Akeno took the offered instruments from Serene and watched the charade continue. It was enticing, hilarious, and strange altogether. Because while Yuuto pinned Issei down with his head hovering over his dangerously close, Issei didn't put up much of a resistance. Issei, who could easily break all of them at his default strength (and had during their week of training), he was only screaming his head off.

"No! It's so slimy! Damn you, you filthy handsome! Get off of me! I can do this myself— WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TOUCHING ME?!"

Strange indeed.

*Scene*

Issei sighed as he sat on top of one of the towels sprawled about the sand. Camp had been set now that all the sexual harassment was done. The girls offered to help him but he decided to do it himself. Alone. There was no way in hell he was going to let Yuuto near him again.

He didn't know what the bloody fuck was up with the blonde handsome. Ever since the whole cathedral fiasco he had been like this. Always trying to be by Issei's side at any instance. At first it had been welcoming to stave off the boredom. But now it was just extreme.

Excalibur, the little girl that was the avatar of Yuuto's Sacred Gear, always grew jealous and dragged her _Papa_ away or got in the way. But after a while she stopped interrupting them.

He spotted her once hanging in his closet… just watching them. As if it were some peep show.

Issei sighed again as he looked down to the shore. Excalibur was playing in the sand with Yuuto watching her. She was building castles and always asked him for his opinion… or going into some lecture on the history of the architecture of the aforementioned castle she was basing her design off of. Yuuto just kept smiling and nodded his head. But Issei could tell he wasn't paying any attention and was doing the bare minimum to be polite.

He wondered what the story was… He really wanted to know what the Holy Sword Project had been about but Yuuto went quiet whenever asked. Issei eventually stopped asking.

"You're not going to go change with the other girls?" Issei asked to the one lounging in the fold out chair.

Serene adjusted her hat to look at him. She was dressed in a thin, white, sleeveless sundress. It wasn't thin enough to be transparent but it did hug her curves nicely. That was all he needed to use his mind's eye to see what she looked like naked.

"Master, are you requesting I do such?"

He thought about it. See Serene in a bikini? He wouldn't deny he hadn't thought about it before… along with a series of more perverted thoughts. She didn't sound upset in the slightest at her inquiry which was a good sign.

"…Not if you don't want to," he eventually breathed out.

Serene tilted her head and observed him. "Would you like to see me in my bathing suit?"

"Yes!" he immediately blurted out— he even stood quickly and put his fists to his chest in excitement. But then he coughed and sat back down. "I-I mean… that's okay. You look pretty comfortable. I was just wondering if you were going to swim or not."

"…Comfortable," Serene looked across the ocean as she muttered the word, almost tasting it. "Yes. I am quite comfortable, aren't I?"

He had a feeling she wasn't talking about the beach at all.

"Ise~" he heard his master call out from the distance.

"Ah, Rias! I set up everything so that— whooooohoooohoooohooooooooo~"

He watched as _they_ bounced. His eyes were mesmerized by their movements. Lost in a trance as their rhythmic sways hypnotized him. Before him was a wall of beautiful girls skipping across the sand to approach their setup. And each one of them were dressed in their swimwear.

Rias giggled as she was the first to reach him. "Well, Ise, how do we look?"

She posed for him. Bringing her hips out while flicking her hair over her shoulder, revealing to him her godly figure for him to see with utmost glory save for a few pieces of cloth that preserved her modesty. He took in every curve, every little detail of her thighs, waist, and, above all else, her astonishing breasts.

"Thank you for the meal," Issei clapped his hands together and bowed his head in prayer. He didn't know what he should give his gods of debauchery for this sight. But he needed to make an offering soon.

Rias giggled and put her hand over her mouth. She turned her head away in an attempt to hide her blush. It was always fun to tease him and she felt like she had an edge over him when using such tactics. But it didn't feel as affective when his reactions made her heart stir.

"Ise-kun, that's hardly fair for you to praise Buchou," Akeno spoke up. She too posed, spreading her legs apart and lifting her arms behind her head. "What can you tell me about my suit? I picked it out just for you?"

Frankly, it had even less cloth than the one Rias had picked. It was borderline scandalous and a great zeal of people would use harsh words to describe her actions.

But not Issei. To Issei, this was even more perfect. This was his nirvana.

"Akeno-oneesama is amazing!" Issei shouted as steam started to spew out of his nostrils. His blood was boiling. Perhaps literally. The anatomy of a dragon is an interesting thing.

Akeno laughed as she brought a hand to her cheek. The laughter was directed at Rias along with a look of challenge. She had stepped into her King's territory and wasn't afraid to battle for the right to be there.

Rias returned the glare, refusing to step down and let this insult as both a woman and a King go unsettled.

"I'm sorry, Ise!" Asia was next to present herself. She was dressed in her school swimsuit. "I know you like things that show less skin… B-But I just couldn't do it! Buchou bought me a cute piece but I ended up packing this one instead! I'm sorry!"

Issei was lost in his own world in any case. Asia in a school swimsuit. By the ancient and most primeval gods of debauchery he had found the Truth. His heart skipped a beat when she stepped forward. And her behavior only added to the depth. _Asia in a school swimsuit!_ He… he only imagined something like this could exist. Because, let's face it, something _this_ incredulous couldn't possibly be real. It was just a myth.

But here it was. His Fountain of Youth. His El Dorado. His Seven Dragonballs.

Asia in a great gods of debauchery be praised _school swimsuit!_

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light…" he mumbled with a fried brain. Some part of him acknowledged the presence of pain. But it was easily ignored. "On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him.

"…Eh?" Asia was the first to react. Her eyes were wide.

"That was…" came Rias next.

"Book of Matthew…?" came Akeno then.

"You impress me yet again, Master," Serene adjusted her hat and turned back to soak up the rays of the sun.

"Huh? Wha?" Issei blinked a few times and looked around. "What happened? I… kinda spaced out right there. What were we talking about, sorry?"

"N-Nothing…" Asia bowed her head but her face had turned completely crimson. She was so happy to receive such a reaction from the one she loved more than anything. To recite a passage from the Bible at that! She didn't know what she did to deserve such praise. Then again… she never could grasp on the interests of her lover.

"Ise-sempai…" at long last, it was Koneko's turn. She didn't say anything as she stared at the draconian Devil. Nor did she pose, at least not intentionally. She slouched and turned her head away, one arm around her back and gripping her opposite arm. She didn't feel confident enough to purchase a two-piece like her more _bountiful_ seniors. She chose to dress in her school swimsuit. Truly, she didn't know how to impress Issei and gave up without putting much of a fight.

But to see Asia receive such praise when the former nun was dressed similarly? There was hope for her yet!

"Ah, Koneko-chan," her beloved sempai approached her…

…And patted her head.

"You look cute," he said with a _brotherly_ smile.

There was no arousal whatsoever in his tone.

It pissed her off to no end. And, just like any other time this pervert pissed her off, she reacted with violence.

She kneed him. Right below the groin. Precisely where all men are weak against.

"Eh, Koneko-chan! Are you okay?"

But the only one to fall was Koneko. It was as if a sun had exploded right on her knee. She had put a lot of her power into that strike. But it felt like she had just kneed a solid wall made out of pure _diamond._ She fell on her side, gripping her knee in agony.

"Why?" she grounded out. "Balls of steel is supposed to be a metaphor."

He didn't know what to say about that. He could only scratch his cheek and gesture for Asia to come check on her.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked a moment after Koneko was healed.

"Xenovia was having some difficulty with her suit," Rias replied. She cocked her head towards the shack over in the distance. "Irina stayed there to help her. And Serafall ran off to prepare for the later afternoon. She said she'll come for you when everything's ready."

Immediately he fell to his knees and pounded a fist onto the sand. Tears fell down his face. He wanted to see Serafall in a bikini. It wasn't fair! Countless hours watching her in a skimpy magic girl outfit with not a single panty shot or cleavage. Even on the episodes where her clothes got shredded there was nothing revealing about it! They used _magical dust made of children's wishes_ as a smokescreen censorship. It was bullshit!

"…Something we should know about, Ise?" Rias gave off a dangerous smile that promised doom if she didn't receive the correct answer.

Issei gulped. There are just some things even someone as mighty as a Predator could find fear in. "N-No… J-Just building a sandcastle. Ah. I don't have any water… I should go get some."

And he ran away before anything else could intercept him.

"Did Leviathan-sama mention what the plan was?" asked Akeno to her King.

Rias crossed her arms. There was a worrisome look on her face. "Not really. Just that she means to test Issei. She didn't say what that meant."

Akeno hummed to herself in thought.

"Let's not worry about it," Rias said suddenly. A bright smile shone. "We're here to get away from it all. The past few weeks have been stressful on everyone, Ise especially. Everyone! I expect you to have fun! This is a command from your King!"

"Yes, Buchou!" Those of the Occult Research Club saluted.

*Scene*

"Ise, can you do me a favor?" asked Rias.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Issei said after he pulled a bottled water out of the cooler and had a drink. "What's up?"

Rias watched him for a moment, not saying a word. Her eyes took in every detail of his body. She remembered very vividly every chiseled feature on his torso. Her fingers had ran through them and her nails had dug into his back in passion after the Rating Game. But now… the body she had gotten to know had changed. It had refined itself. The battle against the Vampire had surely hardened him.

Issei was the prime definition of masculinity. Everything about him declared _power_ and _strength._

"Um… Rias?" he called for her again.

She smiled while laying down on one of the towels. She pulled her hair to fully expose her back while she undid the strap keeping her top in place. She watched with glee and pride while Issei's breathing hitched and he gulped. His eyes were staring straight on her back and she knew _exactly_ what he was thinking.

"Can you rub some sunscreen on me? Please?"

He was like a child who had just been told Christmas had come early. His eyes lit up with both excitement and disbelief. She saw him pinch his thigh, testing to see if it was a dream. Finding this all to be real, he could only nod dumbly and knelt at her side.

She closed her eyes as she let him touch her. A moan escaped her the moment his hands were on her back. It had nothing to do with the cold of the lotion. These were the hands of a humanoid dragon. He had told her he had could read moods as if they were texts and hear feelings as if it were music. It wasn't psychic, per se. It was more of a gut instinct that he gained as soon as he unlocked his Boosted Gear.

It made him a _wondrous_ lover. He had been able to react to her every need.

"Um… I'm sorry," he said the moment he heard her gasp. "Am I being too rough?"

She almost slipped and told him she wished for him to be rougher. That sort of talk wasn't for here. Instead she answered, "No. It's wonderful. Keep going."

So he did, keeping the same pace and pressure as he spread the lotion across her back, over her shoulders, and around her neck. This little stunt had been a tease for him… but here she was trying her hardest to not twitch and gasp. She wanted to groan when his hands had reached low. But, thank and damn him for his mediocre gentleman's respect, he never took the invitation to go _lower._

"The beach, Rias," she muttered to herself. "Remember where you are…"

"What was that?"

"Oh just me reminding myself on something," she waved it off. "Say, Ise, would you like to do the front now?"

She cursed herself. She hadn't meant to go that far. The words had come out of her mouth before she knew it. At this point she was just going along with her feelings rather than think rationally. But… if she was getting excited while having her back rubbed how would she feel about her front? To have his hands glide across her waist and stomach, to caress her collar, and to kneed her breasts?

"Pwah…" Issei's face was scarlet with a little bit of blood trickling down his nose. "F-Front? O-Oppai? Sunscreen Rias' oppai…?"

She decided to make this into a game. Which one of them would lose themselves first? She for getting attention from the man she loved dearly? Or he for groping the single thing he treasured more than life itself: her breasts?

"You don't want to?" she flipped herself over while placing her hands to conceal her greatest weapon she had against him. There were only a few fingers that hid the nipples. Everything else was there for him to see and she could see his imagination going wild. This little game of hers would be an easy victory.

He almost went straight for her breasts. Almost. His hands were right above her hands and ready to pull them apart to dig into the meal she prepared for him. But he didn't. With a heavily restrained look, he willed his hands back.

She almost let out a moan of disappointment.

Issei put more lotion on his hands, which he had forgotten about before being given permission to work on her front. To him, he was still putting on sunscreen.

For a boy who can read and hear feelings… he was still a teenage _boy_ with extremely limited experiences with the female sex.

He performed his task with utmost professionalism.

She nearly squirmed at the first touch. His hands worked on her waist and spread the lotion around. While they worked she could tell he was reading everything about her through his fingertips. His pace was a lot slower than it had been with her back and a lot gentler. It was teasing her and making her anxious for him to get on with it.

He moved up. She let her hands drop to her side as she closed her eyes, focusing on all of her will to keep herself from reacting.

She was losing. His hands. So firm, so tough, so strong, yet somehow so gentle and tender. They were driving her insane.

"Ise…" she gasped. Her voice light. She hadn't realized her breathing had hastened until now.

"R-Rias…?" he stopped, frozen, terrified he had done something wrong.

"I give up," she said with a sigh.

He tilted his head. He had no idea what she meant.

"Oh what a good idea," said Akeno, who _magically_ appeared at their side. "Ise, can you do me next? I would love it if you can cover me with your white sticky lotion."

Akeno licked her lips as she gazed dreamily at Issei. The draconian Devil's face lit up like a neon sign at her words. The sunscreen lotion on his hands was a clear color. Her words could only mean one thing…

"Akeno!" Rias sat up, fuming with outrage.

"I am sooooo sorry, Rias," Akeno said with heavy sarcasm. "Was I interrupting something? Please, don't mind me. I just wanted to know when I can have my turn."

King and Queen glared at another. Sparks lit up between their eyes as their demonic signatures warped their presences. Holy and crimson lightning cackled around them.

A wicked smile crossed Akeno's face. "Ise-kun~" she sang, "I was thinking on working on my tan but want everything to be even. That means I'll be in the nude for some time. Would you mind using your hands to reach every corner of my body?"

Issei was rendered a gaping fish. The image in his head was too much. An Akeno with pearly white skin, fully naked bathed in sunlight, and him rubbing _every_ inch of her with sunscreen. Something inside his brain broke. Some nerve or membrane. Blood began to fill his cranium, build pressure, break his mind further, and leak out.

These nosebleeds he keeps happening is the result of serious cranial damage. Because, as a dragon, his senses are transcendently more profound than most sentient beings walking this planet. Even imagining something will produce the same results as though they were real. And with someone who's imagination for perversity may reach the realm of the gods', where earthbound rules no longer apply, his senses were overloading.

Hence, nerve damage and seizures. And the general populace confuses this as the anime cliché of nosebleeds from perversity. Such a thing _only_ exists in anime.

Luckily, this isn't the first time the girls of the Occult Research Club have done this before. They nearly killed him the first time they overloaded him this badly. As a dragon, who grow stronger the deeper their wounds become, Issei had gained a sort of resistance to this. Already his body was working to undo the damage and he will be stronger than before.

Still, if only they knew what they were doing could potentially kill him…

Akeno only laughed with delight at Issei's reaction. Rias' brow twitched for her friend getting one on her and because her boyfriend was leaning towards it.

"S-Sunscreen!" Asia popped out of nowhere when she saw what was going on. "I-I-If it's you, I don't mind, Ise! P-P-Please put some on me!"

She shook with her face steaming as she shouted this, almost forcibly. But she was seeing the one she loved most dear being taken away by those who she knew were prettier and more developed than she. She had to do something or lose her position as his lover. If they could request such things boldly than so too could she!

Issei's head swiveled around. More blood gushed out of his nose as he saw the ivory incandescent beauty that was Asia's exposed flesh. She was stripping down just for him. With her school swimsuit half on. Just how many doujinshi has he read featuring this specific fetish? How many times had he fantasized about this moment?!

It was too much. Simply too much.

Now Akeno frowned beside Rias. But it was only for an instant. Her smile returned as she eyed Asia in a new light. She respected the former nun and happily accepted the challenge.

"…Sempai, me too?"

If he had something flat and hard he would be banging his head over it right now. When he said there was _too much_ they kept adding more. What? The forest is on fire? Let's try to put it out with fertilizer!

Adorable, quiet, timid Koneko was there as well. She sat on her knees and pulled down the straps of her swimsuit around her shoulders. She didn't drop her suit like how Asia had done. She just let it hand over her chest, dangerously low with the lining at the edge of covering her nipples. Koneko was small, but he would never deny she had great potential. He gladly took the beating that one day when he spied on her changing in the locker room.

He didn't know what to do. The blood continued to flow out of his nose. The world was getting dark. The World wasn't telling him he was going to die but if this continued he was going to pass out. He _just_ got the okay to get out of bed and they were prodding him already. If they did anymore then he would surely—

"Hey, uh, Ise-kun—"

"GO TO HELL YOU DAMN HANDSOME!"

Just like that, he came back to reality. The wounds in his head were removed as though they had never been there in the first place. It was an impossibility. It defied the Laws of the World. But this had happened once before. The same conditions had been met and Issei once again activated a Defiant Work— an overriding command that dejected the authority of the World— and achieved a temporary use of Evolution.

In simpler terms, he used sheer force of will to _make_ his body heal in order to condemn the blasphemy that was Kiba Yuuto. The filthy handsome had the audacity to ask the same thing!

"Now that's not fair," Yuuto sighed dejected. "Shouldn't you do it for me after I did it for you?"

The horrible memory that took place less than an hour ago forced itself back to the front of Issei's mind. Those hands… those fingers… the places Yuuto touched…

"I'M NOT YOUR DONUT!" Issei shrieked like a little girl and ran away from the scene. Again.

"Good job, Yuuto," Rias gave him a wink as she finished putting her top back on. "As expected of my Knight."

"Hmm?" but Yuuto didn't know what she was implying. Realization donned on him. "Oh! Yes. Of course. Ise-kun is yours… yours alone…"

*Scene*

Issei leaned against the wall of the shack and slid to the ground. He felt tired. Definitely not physically— he felt more powerful than he had originally been. More so mentally. Rias was his girlfriend, so her behavior was expected. He wondered if this was how couples were supposed to act; her request right now sounded like something straight out of an h-scene. He still had difficulty believing someone as beautiful and stunning as Rias Gremory was his lover.

 _One_ of his lovers, actually.

Asia Argento was the other. Rather, she was the first. Just like Rias, he had just as much difficulty someone as lovely and sweet as Asia could be with him. It felt surreal. He felt like he didn't deserve either of them. Both girls were captivating and the apple of everyone's eyes at Kuoh. But Issei? Issei was a schmuck who was ignored at best and hated on an average day. He ended up becoming an extreme pervert because he couldn't find a girlfriend.

And now he had two of them. In the span of three months at that. Ever since he became a Devil things have been looking better for him.

But, at the same time, just as he was finding warmth and light in his life, there was an equal amount of darkness and blood as well…

"Ise-kun?"

He lifted his head to see Irina coming out of the shack with Xenovia close behind her. They looked amazing in their swimsuits. Xenovia had a firm body packed with muscle and Irina had a slender build with large breasts. Both beauties chose swimsuits that looked a little too small for them. Their breasts looked ready to pop at any moment.

He knew better than to stare directly at them. That handicap only improved his skill as he adjusted his draconian vision. While his eyes locked on theirs, he could still stare at their cleavage to his heart's content. And it looked like he was being the perfect gentleman.

"What are you doing out here?" Irina asked as she bent over to peer at him. It suddenly became tremendously difficult to keep his eyes locked with hers as her breasts jiggled and the angle permitted him to stare into that great abyss. "You weren't waiting for us, were you?"

"Sorry, I was just taking a break from all the crazy," he said. "I swear they're trying to kill me."

Irina and Xenovia shared a look.

In honesty, he didn't know how to treat the two of them. He was aware the two of them had made amends with Asia regarding her poor treatment. Xenovia even offered to be struck. And Asia forgave them both. If Asia forgave them, then so too would Issei.

But that didn't mean they were his friends. Their slate was clean and they were neutral in his books. As far as he could tell, they were a pair of girls Serene cared for at her apartment with good looks and nice breasts. They rarely mingled with him and spent most of their time chatting about religion with Asia. They were more her friends than his.

However, he couldn't ignore Irina had tried to chat with him as though they had always been friends. He replied enough to be polite but couldn't really delve into any conversation with her. She always got upset and either walked away or tried another topic. Mostly ramblings about her childhood. As if he had been there the entire time.

"I'm going to just sit here and wait until things calm down," he said.

"Erm… sure?" Irina said with a puzzled look. "Then, we'll be going ahead then—"

"Irina," Xenovia spoke up. She wrapped her fingers around her chin as she observed Issei. "I think this is the opportune moment we were talking about."

Irina's face turned red in an instant. She became flustered, "X-Xenovia! Now?! B-B-But I… my heart isn't ready for this!"

Xenovia ignored her friend and addressed Issei. "Lord Hyoudou—"

His brow twitched at the title.

"—Would you mind if we borrow you for a moment? Irina and I have a request we would like to present to you."

"It's hardly a request!" Irina countered. "A-And… W-Well…"

"Irina," Xenovia returned with a firm voice. "This may be our only chance. You don't want to achieve your dream? It's right here before you."

Irina became quiet.

"…I'll listen," Issei stood. His eyes sharpened as he stood straight with his head held high. His eyes changed from a mundane brown to a luminescent green as he channeled his draconian might through his body. Both girls' eyes widened and shifted over his body before returning to his gaze. Xenovia looked pleased while Irina looked nervous.

"But I won't promise anything," he finished.

He wondered if they had gotten to become Asia's friends just for this moment. The idea upset him. But Serene would have told him something… or would she? Did she even know? It didn't matter. He was his own man and had proven himself against his seniors to stand amongst them as their equal. He could handle a pair of girls to either accept or reject their request.

Less than a minute later he found himself to be very, very, _very_ wrong.

"W-Wait!" he tried to plead as he made as much space between them as possible. But then his back hit the wall. His eyes scanned around, looking for a window to escape from. There were a few and he could leap out of them in a flash.

He had led them inside the shack. Such a cozy little place it was. It was more of a beach house than a shack. Then again… this whole island belonged to the Gremory family so of course something that should be called a closet was the size of a bachelor pad.

It had a nice little living room, a dining room, an entertainment room, a whole upstairs with a few sleeping rooms, a number of bathrooms, and a large bath. Least that's what Rias had shared with him before coming here, mentioning these things on the chance anyone wanted to use them. She grossly undermentioned how extravagant everything was.

"I was under the impression you liked things like this," Xenovia said… topless. She had discarded her bikini top the second Irina had shut the door.

"I like boobs very much," Issei agreed. "I also like butts and thighs. But I like _living._ And my girlfriends will kill me if they find out about this."

Xenovia paused in her advance. "One of the eight Ultimate Killers afraid of a pair of Devils?"

"Seven," he corrected. "And this and that are two different things! Why me anyways?! Why don't you go after that damn handsome?!"

"Xenovia this isn't right!" Irina shouted finally, his saving grace. "B-Bed! You should do these things on a bed!"

…Or not.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ARGUING ABOUT?!" he shrieked.

"Hmm… I suppose you're right," Xenovia was halted once again as she thought about it. "It would be… difficult having our first times on the floor or one of those couches. Fortunately I've scouted the area and have found everything we need. Including a bed."

She went to the side of the room, reached up, and pulled a lining that he believed had been decoration this whole time. It turned out to be a sort of lever that flipped another wall over. A king-size bed flopped with sheets and pillows ready to be used.

Issei could only stare at the contraption with pure utter bafflement.

"As for why you, Lord Hyoudou," Xenovia began as she sat on the bed. Her body was stiff as though she were prepared for battle instead of seduction. A personal habit of hers. Still, her _rocking_ body couldn't be ignored. It still captivated him. "Would you be willing to listen to our reasons?"

He frowned… after clapping his jaw shut, that is. Every bit of logic was telling him to get the hell out of here before any of the girls just a few meters away came in here looking for him. But… since when did he ever listen to this overcomplicated concept known as logic? He's done everything thus far through his gut instincts and it hasn't failed him thus far.

The feelings he was reading off of the two of them… he could sympathize with them. So he agreed to listen.

"The way we see it, we have two choices," Xenovia began. "The first is to return to the Church. However, I don't believe either of our hearts are in it. Mine is not after being exposed to the memories of the Earth Mother…"

She stopped talking for a moment. Her eyes glazing over as she recalled things she didn't want to. She shook her head to force those back down. Irina came to her side and put a hand on her arm. It was appreciated by Xenovia.

"And Irina has been excommunicated by Saint Virtue," she went on. "We both know God is dead and would be deemed heretics if we tried to return. Though we might be accepted for our history as Exorcists, there is another problem we would like to avoid. Sir Rolan's oath of vengeance has been transpiring. The major factions of the Church have already been destroyed. If the Church cannot manage to fend him off I do not believe the two of us could survive against him.

"Thus we have the second option, to remain here with Sister Serene. Pardon me. _Madam_ Serene. She has agreed to care for us until we are capable of doing so ourselves. Lady Gremory has even provided us with uniforms and has permitted us to attend school. She has also offered us a position of peerage as her Rook and Knight. That, however, we turned down."

Irina said nothing. She fidgeted in her seat while Xenovia did all the talking.

"Go on," he urged them. "What does this have to do with me and… this?"

He gestured at her. Precisely, at her exposed breasts.

If Xenovia was self-conscious of her modesty, she didn't show it. "Lady Gremory may be the overseer of our current living arrangements, but we see it as you being the undeniable ruler of the country. This is your territory. As Madam Serene is to be your Queen when your new Evil Pieces arrive, as we still follow Madam Serene, is it not wrong to assume we follow you then?"

He thought about it. Certainly it was some warped logic. Serene wasn't a member of the Church any longer. She had gained her freedom because of Issei— twice if being technical— and chose to serve him as his servant and Queen for all eternity. These two still relied on Serene almost like a foster mother instead of their superior officer. So, if Serene was to be his servant, they believed they should serve him too?

He didn't see it that way. But apparently they did.

"Yeah, I still don't get it," he eventually said.

"It's simple," Xenovia said with a voice _as if_ it were simple. She even raised a finger to add emphasis to her statement. "We wish to make a pact with you to ensure our welcome within your territory. I've thought about this as well. The Church is well aware of your exploits for the past three years and I have seen personally your power. That dragon trait is rich. I am sure any child of yours will be strong."

There was something… missing. He couldn't piece things together. He had Point A and Point C but his mind just couldn't fit together whatever the hell went between them. He also knew it was painfully obvious and he was going to hate himself once he learned what it was.

"Irina and I have decided this together. We would like you to have our bodies. You can do anything you want to them whenever you want and for however long. But so long as you give us your seed and grant us a child."

Oh. There it was. Point A: Xenovia's boobs. Point C: _serving_ him and making sure they stay in his good graces. And finally comes the middle ground on how these two come together.

Point B: getting them pregnant.

It all makes sense now!

Yeah. He really wanted to go back in time and punch himself in the face.

But he hadn't figured out time travel. Not yet anyways. For now he had to worry about the present.

And the present was telling him he was in deep shit. Where, oh where, did he go wrong? If any of the girls find out about this he was going to be a dead man.

But… damn. Xenovia's offer kept ringing in his head. To be able to do _anything_ and _however long_ he wanted. To the both of them. Together if he wanted. He was highly sure Rias and Asia weren't willing to do a threesome. Xenovia and Irina seemed to be content with it.

The little voice that was his conscience telling him this was a bad idea was being shadowed by the symphony of a thousand voices within his deep psyche.

 _~Zoom, zoom, iyaaan~_ they said.

He _still_ had no idea what those predecessors trapped in his Boosted Gear meant.

He thought hard about this. Harder than he probably should. While his eyes were fixated on Xenovia's breasts. They were really nice. And he wasn't just saying that because he loved all breasts of all shapes and sizes. Xenovia had a pair she should be proud of. Irina too, for that matter. He wondered how they would feel.

"Love…" he mumbled. "This is something you should be doing with someone you love."

And he meant it. As much as he would have _loved_ to claim them both right here and right now, to taste their flesh and slip away into long hours of carnal passion, it was the one thing that ruled over both his logic and his instincts. His heart. His feelings. As much as he loved breasts… he could never make love to someone who didn't love him.

The first time with Rias… just to have a chance to get out of here marriage. It really hurt him back then.

Xenovia said nothing. But her body stiffened as if she had been insulted. She probably had been. But… from what he could tell, it wasn't for her sake.

Irina looked like she had been slapped. She cupped her hands together in her lap and bowed her head. Her lips quivered for a moment. But a new fire began to grow in her eyes. Determination. Fierce determination lit up.

"I… love Ise-kun," she said in a low but strong voice. "I always have. Even if you don't remember me. Even if I can't be your Iri-kun again. If it's Ise-kun, I want to give my everything."

He didn't know what to say. He searched her feelings with his draconian senses. He was frightened to find out he was at the line between picking up body signatures and mind reading. His power… the part that makes him a dragon… it had gotten even stronger.

Love. True and undeniable love swam through Irina. Love for him. Along with it came the myriad of emotions he was more than familiar with. Irina loved him, for a long period of time as far as he could tell, but he couldn't understand _why._

"…I can't remember past three years ago," he said aloud, answering her unspoken question he had picked up from sensing her thoughts. "I don't want to. Everything before that reminds me of my parents…"

Irina had a sad look on her face. But she couldn't sympathize. She didn't understand what it meant to have her parents killed in front of her. But, given Rolan was out for blood against the Church, her parents were already dead. If he had a name he could use the World to search for them and find out if it were true or not. It'd be better if he didn't.

He also forced his draconian might back into his core. It was a dangerous ability to have, to perceive another's feelings so intimately he could almost read their thoughts. Useful if he could use it in battle, pointless against the perpetually monotone Predators who ran off of _one_ emotion, and significantly dangerous against those he loved.

"…Ask me again some other time," he said and forced himself to leave. He couldn't think straight right now. He needed air.

He had almost, just almost, cheated on Rias and Asia. But he didn't deny them either. He practically told them he was still open to the suggestion of bedding them instead of doing the right thing and denying them. Inward, he was a pervert and always will be. Even if it would damn him.

He was surprised to see Koneko standing there as soon as he opened the door. Her Nekoshou ears were standing up against her hair as her tail swayed around. He had crossed the room so quickly for the door that she didn't have a moment to gather herself. He had caught her peeping on them.

A look of disappointment crossed her face. She scorned at him. She had heard enough of the conversation to understand the situation and had heard his departing answer.

"…Sempai, you disgust me."

The words coming from her hurt him. He wished she punched him instead. Even if she put her all into it and he lowered his defense to the lowest possible limit. Even if she ruptured one of his organs and made him puke blood. She didn't. And only a small number of things could something hurt him this much.

*Scene*

"Hello there!" said the pompous older man with the stupid haircut, stupid mustache, and equally stupid little hat. "It's an honor to meet the notorious Red Blur in person!"

Shortly after his little episode with Irina and Xenovia, someone had come over the hills to retrieve him. He didn't know what was going on and almost ignored the messenger hadn't Rias told him otherwise. The messenger escorted him back over the hill, through the neighboring forest, and down a windy path until he arrived at an open field with a plethora of people running amok. Even with his limited intelligence he could tell this was a filming crew.

It was then he was brought to Serafall Leviathan, who was dressed in her Miracle Levia-tan outfit, and was introduced to the director of her show.

He'd shake the man's hand and praise him. The show _was_ good. But then he remembered it was _**Miracle Levia-tan**_ and withheld his kind words. He'd die before admitting he liked the show. Instead he bowed and did his normal courtesies.

"Hello. Hyoudou Issei. It's nice to meet you too, please take care of me. But, uh, can I know what this is all about?"

"The makings of history, my boy!" the director replied enthusiastically. He swung his megaphone around as he talked. "Today the great Levia-tan meets the Red Blur in an epic quest of heroic proportions! We've brought in our best writers and hypnotized a few humans who worked in Sunlight Studios for the **Dragon Knight Heroes** show. This will be my masterpiece!"

He didn't know whether to be excited or disgusted. A mixture of both, in the end. **Miracle Levia-tan** was a show with Serafall Leviathan portraying the main protagonist; a magical girl who paraded around the Underworld battling Angels and Fallen, saving Devil children, and declaring everything to be in the name of love, peace, and the power of moe-moe.

It was a seriously controversial show that portrayed every Angel and Fallen as pure evil while Devils were innocent. There was a lot of political brainwashing within.

 **Dragon Knight Heroes** however— and Issei cringed at the reminder this god-awful thing existed— was an anime dedicated to animating his most remembered exploits as a hero for the past three years. The Red Blur, the name of the hero the internet started to call him and eventually became official when Sunlight Studios produced the show, flew around the world finding trouble and solving problems. Mostly with him battling epic monsters with his fists.

It pissed him off because _someone_ knew about his adventures enough to make them into a three-season show with OVAs, spin-offs, a live action movie coming out soon, and _another_ damnable season in the makings. Every event produced was a reenactment to aforementioned monster bashing. Even in the battles where humans weren't around, where he knew he had been alone, and where no one else except _maybe_ some of the other Predators could follow him. Such as that one time he had to fight that magma monster in the heart of a volcano.

Swimming in lava was like trying to walk through cement. Except hotter. Like, holy shit, hot as fuck.

But… perhaps this was what he needed to renew his image. If he could partake in some convoluted episode with Serafall and battle a few Angels (Devils dressed as Angels anyways) in the name of sisterhood or some other nonsense… Well, it would be far better than what Sunlight Studios had made him into.

"Yeah, alright," he agreed. "Sounds good to me. When do we start?"

"You made the right choice, my boy!" cheered the director again. He brushed his fingers through his mustache. "We start as soon as you are ready. We have a costume of your armor ready."

"Actually," Serafall cut in. "We need Dragoon-chan to be in his armor instead of in costume. We want this to be as realistic as possible. Almost as if it were the real thing. Can you do that, Dragoon-chan?"

Almost as if it were the real thing. She added a new tone at those words to apply emphasis. A hint to what he was to expect.

There was also a sharp look in her eyes even as she kept her childish smile present. It was a look he could never match as she was centuries older than he and he could tell by the permanent scent that may never wash away from her body. Blood. Serafall Leviathan was soaked in it to the point it was a part of her and had never faded throughout the ages.

He nodded and took a few steps back, giving himself space away from the people around him. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him as though they had sensed something in the air. He hadn't released any of his power just yet. It was almost an instinct triggered from their most primal consciousness that danger was about to approach.

The power came flowing through him without so much of a thought as it was a natural reaction. It came and channeled through him as easily as how he breathed.

 **"Balance—"**

There was a shockwave as raw and untamed power exploded out of his body. The pressure surrounding him was enough to leave a crater on the ground and blow a heavy gust of wind throughout his surroundings. He watched as this wall of air splashed over as far as he could see in every radius.

His armor was donned before he could finish the incantation. More like he didn't need to turn the mental key to trigger the transformation. His armor was simply there, manifesting more on his desires instead of his actions. It no longer required the smallest ounce of draconian energy to be brought out into the World. The Scale Mail did not need a trade, a sacrifice like a slumbering dragon demanding tribute for its services. If he had to say, it now bowed to his every whim.

There was more. The change was dramatic to his senses. Before, the suit of armor had been exactly just that— a suit of armor. When he got smacked around the armor took most of the brunt of it while he was rattled within. But now? Now it felt like a second skin. Literally. He could _feel_ the air on the surface of his armor. And, he knew, if he reached out to touch something he would be able to feel everything about it as if he were touching them directly with his bare hands.

The armor fluttered. The scales and plating shifted. It breathed when he did. It formed and reformed again and again to fit around his body. It wasn't just a piece of draconian metal any more. It was _alive._

"Dragoon-chan, are you ready?" Serafall asked him. She had observed him and had noticed the changes just as much. Besides, anyone could tell something was off with the way Issei was looking at his hands as though he had never seen them before.

Issei snapped out of his musings to look at her. He willed his power back down, folding it over and drawing it back towards his center to focus within his proximity instead of suffocating those around him. "Yeah, sorry. I'm ready. When do we begin?"

*Scene*

They gave put him on a marker on the floor and told him to wait while they set up positions. The scene was a valley of trees with a narrow path leading back towards the open valley. He wasn't given a script and was told to improvise, to say what came naturally. They wanted the _real_ Red Blur and not the tool Sunlight Studios invented— the director's words, though Issei shared his sentiment.

"Action!" the director called out from within the trees.

Two characters burst out of the trees and cut off his path.

He nearly vaulted to the floor right there. The ones who appeared were the former Exorcists Irina and Xenovia. They were garbed in their black leotards, wielding twin swords of light in each hand.

"Red Blur! So long as we stand we shall not let you pass!" cried Xenovia.

He almost applauded her. That declaration sounded so sincere he almost believed it. She could have a good acting career if she showed better promise.

"…I don't really get what's going on," he said after some thought. There was no dynamic posing or long-winded speeches. The Red Blur doesn't do that. _Issei_ doesn't do that. He gets in, gets the job done, and leaves before anyone could see him. Hence why he was called the Red _Blur._ "But I'm going to go on ahead anyways."

"Then fall by my sword!" Xenovia cried again and charged after him.

She was fast. Faster than what should have been humanly possible. The Exorcists of the Church were no joke and she was probably one of the betters since she was trusted with a Fragment of Excalibur. She came at him at a speed that would put an Olympian to shame.

But… it was so agonizingly slow compared to some of the other things he had faced before.

Before she could make her third step, he appeared before her. He didn't need his wings to travel at this level of speed. The inertia didn't bother him when he accelerated and braked at an impossible speed and strain. A few weeks prior he would have felt nauseous at the least. Now, the force didn't bother him in the slightest and he could probably withstand G's that would normally reduce insides into paste.

It was another testament to how much stronger he had gotten since his battle against the Vampire.

Xenovia's eyes flashed wide with alarm and confusion. She tried to stop herself but it was too late. He was too close to her for her to do anything.

He ducked, planted his shoulder into her abdomen, and flipped her over him before she had the chance to decelerate. He didn't want to harm her. Only to prove she didn't have a chance to stop him.

…He may have put more strength into that little move more than he should have. Even with the perks of a Predator this newfound level of power was beyond his norm. He wasn't calibrated with it and knew next to nothing about his limits. So when he flipped Xenovia over his shoulder, she went spinning a number of times.

She landed on her feet, somehow. Some base instinct drilled into her through her training perhaps. But it didn't help her stay on her feet. She wobbled around in a drunken stupor until she was forced to lean against a tree. Her face was green.

And then the inevitable came. She puked behind the bushes.

Inwardly he apologized to her. But, perceiving this as if it were the real thing as Serafall had implied, he turned to face Irina.

"I… I don't want to fight Ise— I mean… Reddobura-dono…"

She dropped her weapons and put up her hands in surrender.

Well, that was certainly fast.

He nodded and moved past her, zipping away at a speed that broke the sound barrier at the start and making his image too fast to be perceived through mundane methods.

*Scene*

He was now in the open fields with grass surrounding him. Again, he had to wait until the cameras could be set up but at the least he had a chance to chat with his next opposition.

"I'm really excited for this," Akeno had said. She was dressed in her shrine maiden outfit… something he hadn't seen since the Rating Game against Raizer Phenex. She was breathtaking wearing it. "Don't worry about me, Ise-kun. I like it rough."

He didn't have a comment for that. What words were on his tongue were swallowed when he felt the piercing gaze of Koneko at Akeno's side.

"…Sempai is the worst," she muttered bluntly. She wasn't wearing anything special. Just her school uniform with her padded gloves and knee bucklings.

He winced. She was still pissed at him. He really wished she used her fists instead of her words. He wished she would go back to doing that. He gladly accepted physical pain over stamping over his heart.

"Quiet on set!" called the director on his floating chair. "And… action!"

"Fwahahaha!" cackled Akeno as she threw her head back and gave a maniacal laughter befitting that of a traditional villainess. "You now face the two of us, Red Blur! Do not believe you can get past us so easily!"

"…I don't want to fight you," he said after more consideration. It hurt his heart having to fight the one he deemed _onee-sama._ But, it was a show. He clenched his fists and prepared himself. "But it seems in order to achieve my goal I must. Prepare yourself!"

Akeno switched into her sadism-mode. Her smile sent shivers down his spine but he felt aroused with the look in her eyes. Such conflicting emotions… he deeply hoped he wasn't an M.

Ears and a tail sprouted out of Koneko as she assumed a makeshift Assaulter stance. He examined it while they prepared their selves. He remembered teaching her the Assaulter and Defender stances— things he didn't so much as create as they simply became the basis of his fighting style through experience— and she altered them to fit her fighting style. Hers had plenty of openings, as Assaulter forbade all defense for pure offense, but the potential for damage was high.

At least as high as it was possible. Which was still not enough for his Predator instincts to trigger.

The sky darkened as clouds formed. Wind whipped around as a storm was called. Roars of thunder and flashes of light came from the heavens. A grand streak of lightning struck down from the sky and landed within Akeno's extended hand. She was not burned in the slightest by it. She channeled the raw energies of the natural phenomenon, mixed it in with her demonic energies, and blessed it with her holy radiance.

His Predator instincts stirred. Like a slumbering dragon twitching after detecting the stench of an invader wandering into its territory. A nuisance that needed to be removed if it dared to come any closer.

He withheld the feeling to strike her down. It took a bit of effort on his part, more than it should have. He frowned at this. The feeling to attack his friends had always been there, but he always had control over it to the point where it was easily ignored. This time the feeling to strike at any little threat, no matter how small the damage onto him may become, was louder than it had before. The World was either trying harder to get him to act on his programmed instincts as a Predator or perhaps he was becoming more and more like his seniors than he liked.

Akeno cackled with perverse glee as she directed the lightning coursing through her body out of her fingertips and directly at him. No matter how strong or fast he might be, no matter how many times he may Boost himself, he couldn't outrun _lightning._ The only way he could would be if he activated his wings. But he didn't.

He took the full brunt of the attack square on the chest. He braced himself by planting his feet firmly on the ground and coiling his legs.

The force of the strike did not move him. Perhaps make his chest recoil slightly but barely a centimeter at best. He was an infallible wall with his armor on. The electricity dissolved as though the metal was nonconductive. And the holy and demonic energies were purged after making contact with the draconian energy coating his armor.

"Oh boo…" Akeno pouted.

Koneko came next. While Akeno had been unleashing her strike, she had been gathering the energies around her. There was a heavy strain on her face as a bead of sweat ran down her brow. She was still an amateur when using Senjutsu and knew only the theories rather than the proper execution. She could enhance her physical attributes only but she was trying something new.

Chakra gathered at her palms. She gripped them tight, spread her legs out and held a firm stance to support her oncoming strike. She brought her hands together, twisted her body, and flung both fists forward while bringing her other leg forward to add strength to her attack.

A wondrous ball of glowing energy fired out of her fists like a missile. It was certainly faster than a bullet as it traveled without the burdens of physical restrictions.

This was certainly something new.

He let the strike land on his chest more out of curiosity than bravado. His instincts had told him what would happen but he wanted to experience it himself than let the World give him the answer. He wasn't disappointed at all to find the strike had been more spiritual than it was physical. Rather than doing kinetic damage against his armor, it had attacked the draconian essence that bound it together.

But it did nothing in the end. His defenses was too much for the little orb to do any damage. The draconian energies bent, more so to absorb and dwindle the force of the strike than out of receiving damage, and reformed immediately. Issei stood without a single scratch.

Just because they couldn't harm him didn't mean he was disappointed. The two of them had grown a lot since he last saw them fight. Neither of the two hesitated in using the affinities they had long been ashamed of. Rather than have it cripple them, they chose to embrace it and it in return made them stronger in thanks.

"Amazing," Issei said and meant it from his heart of hearts. "That really was amazing, you two. I'd like to see more, but I need to move on. Here's what I'm going to do…"

He formed a pose he knew inside and out. He had copied it hundreds of thousands of times and wished dearly to be able to perform the legendary act. Every person on the planet wanted to do it. Everyone. Even if they never wanted to admit it.

"Haaaaaaaaaaa!"

His legs bent, his body turned with his hands bowled at his side, he began to channel draconian might through his body. A small orb of crimson energy radiated a dark hue onto the plain. It dyed them all red as more power was drawn into it. It was flashier than destructive as he willed it to be. Still, being struck by this attack would paralyze anyone for a short amount of time. Least it was better than killing them.

He also hated how this attack was damnably similar to the one that sellout of an anime used. If only he could dye his draconian essence blue instead of red.

But beggars can't be choosers. He was just glad he had achieved a level of understanding with his Boosted Gear to be able to replicate this most legendary technique.

The epic beam that was the Kamehameha!

His claws dug into the orb, making it crackle and shriek similar to the power-up sounds the energy ball did in the anime. The pressure from his grip made the orb chaotic and lash out surges of draconian lightning around. He _really_ wanted to see what this would have looked like on camera and couldn't wait to see.

"Dragon SHOT—"

"Drop dead in a ditch," Koneko said just when he was bringing his hands around to unleash his transcendent beam.

He flinched. Those words hurt him so much. The grip on his orb tightened. One of his claws poked a hole through the surface. It popped like a balloon.

A balloon filled to the brim with draconian energy that exploded red light and debilitating radiation. Even he, donned in his armor, felt himself buckle at the impact. It hadn't been potent, merely for show and built to stun the two, but it did more than enough to leave a crater on the ground when exploding in his hands.

When the dust settled he found himself to be the only one standing. Akeno and Koneko were lying on the ground. Both girls were conscious, but groggy.

"S-Sempai…" Koneko lifted her hand as she tried to sit up and failed.

"Koneko-chan!" he immediately came to her side and took her extended hand. "Are you okay? Speak to me!"

Her amber eyes shifted over to him. Though he was still wearing his mask and peered at her through the visors, he could tell she was looking at his eyes. "You… are the worst."

"Waaaaaaaaaah~"

It was the final blow before her hand went limp. An act, surely, since she was still conscious. But her words were the final straw as a dam of tears fell down. The draconian Devil looked up at the sky in anguish as he bellowed his agony for all to hear.

*Scene*

The next scene was to take place within a ghost town. The buildings around were somewhat modern or at least of recent build, somewhere around twenty to thirty years old based on their design, and have been abandoned for a relative number of years. Windows were broken, paint was chipped, wood was rotting… things like that.

None of it was actual. This was all just a set the Devils had put together. It was incredulously impressive… and no doubt expensive. The only way he could have told none of it was real would be the smell. Everything smelt sterile rather than musky and rotten.

Behind his helmet, his eyes narrowed. Two figures strolled in from one of the alleyways as soon as the director called for action. His hands curled up into fists as his heart began to race with anticipation.

"Red Blur," came his next opponent. "You've made it this far. If it's you I shouldn't be surprised."

"Fufufu~" cackled his little sidekick. "Now you face us. Come, Papa, let us show this young fool what happens when—"

 **At long last. I shall have my vengeance.**

Kiba Yuuto and Excalibur both gulped as sweat washed over their bodies. A deep miasma swept through them, suffocating them with a great heat and pressure. They became immobilized, bound tight through both fear and the aura physically restraining them.

Steam blew out of the draconian Devil's maw as the helmet began to morph from red metal to red scales. Fangs sharper than any knife could ever dream of becoming filled his jowls.

 **Filthy handsome. My brethren shall be avenged. Do you hear their screams? Do you recognize their pain? I am the avatar of their loss.**

Yuuto's sweat increased. His knees buckled. He wanted to move away from the beast that was pretending to be human. He watched as it grew a head taller, a pair of great wings with folds as sharp as blades sprouting out of its back, and an extra pair of arms forming.

Power breathed down their necks. Raw and primitive power that had been unchanged regardless of the ages. Evolution had not touched it because there was no need to adapt. It was the apex of its class. Power. A presence of itself.

"…Ddraig," whispered Excalibur. "You… no… you were supposed to be a myth!"

 **Girls who look your way before mine brother can confess. The boy who looks at the one he loves knowing she loves someone else. The girls who love you knowing you shall never love them back. All of their pain, their loss, their eternal and damnable strife… I represent them all!**

Hyoudou Issei had transformed straight from his Balance Breaker Scale Mail to the Juggernaut Drive. The full wrath of the Welsh Dragon breathed down on them like fumes of volcanic springs. The burning sensation consuming their being was not physical. It rubbed down their souls, making them scream internally.

This was supposed to be a little bit of fun. He had been told by Serafall Leviathan this was all to be an act for the camera. He was free to use whatever tactic and ability he wanted. It was all for show while he and Issei had a little spar, a few flashy moves he would never really use in an actual battle, and then move on to the next scene.

Instead, Issei was going all out. He had activated Juggernaut Drive. His intent to kill was without hindrance. Every fiber of Yuuto's being was screaming at him to get away as soon as possible, but another internal instinct was telling him there was nothing he could do. Death was approaching and he had not the ability to stop it nor to prolong it.

"Run Papa!" cried Excalibur. "Run!"

Excalibur, but a little girl barely half his height, took him in her arms and carried him bridal-style. She turned and kicked her legs into gear, running as fast as she could that put his speed as a Knight to shame. In an instant they were already on the opposite end of the lot.

 **Do you think to run from ME?!**

But it wasn't quick enough. Issei had appeared, cutting off their route of escape. His wings began to flicker as each fold emitted a dim glow. His chest opened, revealing a bright emerald lodged into a slot. It drank in the light as an emerald fire blazed at its core. The level of power within the air increased to the point where Yuuto felt like he was encased in liquid steel.

Issei opened his maw. Crimson flames breathed from his throat and gathered into a solid mass right at his snout. An orb of crimson draconian wrath formed and continued to grow in depth and luster.

"Swim away!" cried Excalibur. She began to run, this time lifting Yuuto over her head and moving her little legs back the other way. "SWIM AWAY!"

 **"Longinus Smasher!"** bellowed the avatar of death.

The world was dyed in crimson as an eruption of cataclysmic proportions was unleashed onto the world. The land was reduced to ash as everything within its propriety was decimated without resistance.

Upon this barren wasteland followed a legend. If one were to wander in this dead land to this day they might be able to hear the screams of a little girl and a bishounen.

Incidentally, this scene would not be in the final production of **Miracle Levia-tan.** However, the footage would be leaked onto the Underworld's underground media forums for those _hardcore_ fans of the Red Blur.

*Scene*

"Master, don't you think that was a bit much?" asked Serene.

Issei scratched the back of his head. It felt strange having his habitual itch when feeling a certain level of unease being replicated onto the armor. It felt even more strange feeling relief after scratching the armor. He gathered the Scale Mail was more akin to a second layer of skin rather than a piece of armor but it was simply obscure for it to have its own nervous system. He also wondered if it had pain receptors… but the only way to test that would be to feel pain. And the only things at this point that could harm him were the forces above and beyond— things he would rather avoid confrontation until it was the last possible option.

The next scene involved some sort of large temple made out of stone. It didn't make sense. Not even a mile out was (or at least what used to be) a recently modern ghost town. And now there's a temple built by some ancient civilization? Then again… this show always had the strangest of surroundings and misgivings in its plot. Things never made sense. But, hey, it was a kids' show and kids never paid attention to details like that.

His opponents this time were Rias, Asia, and Serene. Rias was dressed in a fabulous black and red dress that he wished would reveal a little more skin (but, again, kids' show). Then, Asia and Serene were both in their church attire such as Asia's dark green dress robes with a veil and Serene's black tights with a cloak and white hood. She didn't have Creyroux in her hands which meant she wasn't going to fight him seriously.

"I wanted to use Vorpal but the blade said he wouldn't be used like that," Issei sighed. "Man. I had the perfect chance to get rid of him. But then Excalibur used him like a shovel to dig underground. My attack completely missed them."

"…I can't tell if you really wanted to kill him or not," Rias deadpanned.

"By the way," Issei spoke up, "do any of you guys know what this episode's about? So far all I've been doing is going in a straight line and 'battling' you guys. Did anyone give you a script?"

"Um…" Asia fiddled with her fingers. "T-There were a few lines they gave us. And we kind of know what's going on. But Leviathan-sama said we're not supposed to tell you."

"This is for you, Master," Serene added. "When you confront Lady Leviathan she will inform you of everything. Think of this as a trial of sorts for now."

"Serene!" whined Rias. "That's too much! Now he'll figure it out!"

"I'm not too worried about that," she said with a dry tone. Her eyes were staring directly at him as she continued, "Master isn't the brightest among us. I may have given him the answer but he still won't be able to come to any conclusion."

He winced inside his armor. Her stare and her words hurt. What hurt the most was the fact he knew she was right. He had no idea what Leviathan's plan in all this was.

"Quiet on set!" called out the director after they had finished assembling the equipment. "And… Action!"

"Remarkable how you've made it this far, Red Blur!" snickered Serene. She brought the back of her hand to her mouth and let out an arrogant chuckle similar to the one Akeno gave not too long ago. Her expressionless face had morphed to one of amusement and arrogance. "To think one such as I, Saint Serene of Finland, has to be bothered to face such an unworthy challenger!"

Issei blinked. Did she just…? Really? Amelia Rosewood has a little something called a _personality_?!

Even Rias and Asia were surprised by this.

Rias was the first to recover. She made a dynamic pose while pointing directly at him. "Yes! Remarkable! But now you face the three of us! You stand before the Crimson Ruin Princess!"

Asia didn't look at him. She was looking at something behind him. Her eyes moved from left to right as she spoke in monotone. "Indeed. Prepare yourself for I, the Holy Maiden, stand in your way. _Phew._ Did I do okay, Ise?"

She had been reading some cue cards and then bothered to ask him how her acting was while the camera was still rolling. Seeing as how the director hasn't said anything meant they would either be able to edit that out or it was fine where it was. Come to think about it… the director hadn't bothered to do anything in guiding the scene.

In any case, he gave Asia a thumb's up. She beamed with joy.

Issei thought about his retort. He didn't know what to say about this situation. This whole things was a giant mess and each scene was getting stranger. He had quickly run out of lines and reactions because the _real_ Red Blur wouldn't bother to talk. In fact, since they weren't causing any trouble standing around at this temple, he would have ignored them completely and kept flying.

He wondered what would happen if he did that. Just fly away. There wasn't anything capable of stopping him— other than Serene but only if she was being serious, which she wasn't.

Then again… this is supposed to be a show. It'd be rather lame if he didn't bother to fight.

But how to go about this…? Two of them were his girlfriends and the third was his soon-to-be Queen. What a predicament.

Something flashed within Serene's eyes. Her personality shifted back into the villainess as she cocked her head back and puffed out her chest. "Wuahahaha! It seems you have stumbled upon our den and have come to foil our plans! We cannot let you leave alive after this, Red Blur!"

If he paid Serene… he'd give her a raise.

Issei moved into an Assaulter stance, more so to look cool for the camera than in actual preparation for an attack, and announced _heroically,_ "So I have! I will stop you at any cost! Surrender now and I won't have to hurt you!"

"Never!" Rias shouted. She spread her hands out and channeled her power of destruction between her fingertips. "You know not what you are doing, Red Blur! It is _we_ who will stop you at any cost! Turn back now or face your demise!"

He had to hand it to her… Rias could be super sexy when she plays the villainess.

"You leave us no choice…" Asia went on after a moment. Someone in the background had to make her a cue card to improvise with the scene. She had waited until that person was done. "Here we come, Red Blur. We will annihilate you— W-W-Wait, what?! I-I-Ise I don't mean it! I don't want to hurt you!"

…He was worried about the final production of this episode. The director wasn't saying anything. Instead the fat man was rubbing his mustache and nodding.

"What a twist!" he heard the man say.

No! There was no twist! This was just Asia being a poor actress!

Meanwhile, Asia was clutching her hands together, shaking and ready to cry. She was begging for his forgiveness. He told himself he would buy her something and pat her head. The poor girl looked ready to fall apart for saying that one line.

"Nor I you!" he went along with the skit anyways, gripping his hand to a shaking fist while turning his head away. It looked like he was hurting on the inside for making this hard decision. "Holy Maiden, whose light fills my day, I only wish for peace and love. Will you come to my side and join my cause?"

"Yes~" cried Asia. Literally. Tears fell down her eyes as she hitched up her skirt and skipped her way towards him. "I don't want to fight Ise!"

"The Red Blur has brainwashed the Holy Maiden!" shouted Serene. "She has joined the side of the enemy!"

"Oi, Crimson Ruin Princess," Issei called out to Rias next. "Won't you join me as well? I don't want to fight you either. I… I love you as much as the Holy Maiden!"

…He wondered if this would start some fire in the tabloids. ' **Master and Servant Forbidden Love?!'** would read the title of the Underworld newspapers.

Rias' face turned scarlet. She looked conflicted. With as much dignity as she could muster, and a cough to clear her throat, she declared proudly… without having the courage to look at his eyes, "I-If it comes directly from the Red Blur how can I deny such a c-c-confession. Still, I can't help but feel jealous you called out to Asia first instead of me."

She was pissed. The look in her eyes said everything. Plus she called Asia by her name instead of her character. He wondered what he should do for her to get on her good side again.

"Do not listen to him, Crimson Ruin Princess!" argued Serene. "We must stand united if we are to stop him!"

"Serene," he called out, "come over here. Your King commands it."

"Yes, Master," she returned to her bland personality and responded like a robot. She passed by Rias and came to stand at his side.

She flinched as she realized what had just happened. Her acting persona returned. "Hark! You vile fiend! How dare you play this most fowl trick on me! Alas, we have been defeated. Go then. Red Blur, your final confrontation exists over yonder!"

A bell rang, signaling the scene had ended.

While Asia continued to snuggle against his arm, and with Rias getting jealous and latching on to his other arm, Issei turned to his Queen and asked, "Hey, uh, Amy? I didn't know you were a good actress. That was really impressive."

"I shall always strive to do my best for you, Master," was her reply in her normal bland tone. Personally, he preferred her like this. "Anything less would tarnish your reputation. As for my acting… the Church is a life full of lies and deceit. That… and I must say learning to fake an orgasm as early as eight years old is a significant boon to this skill."

…How she can say that with such a straight face was beyond him. It was the most awkward thing he had ever heard in his entire life.

*Scene*

"You've arrived…" Serafall Leviathan met with him at the other side of the island. She was still dressed in her magical girl uniform with her starlit wand in her hand. The sun beginning to set, giving her a silhouette of her figure.

He approached her, still donned in his armor. It fluttered as soon as he stepped within her proximity. It sensed the dense aura she was suppressing but just enough for it to leak out here and there— for him to have a taste of the potent demonic chaos she hid within her tiny form. She smirked, cutely he might add, but her eyes betrayed her as something archaic and primeval was veiled within her gaze.

"Here I am," he nodded and unleashed a fair amount of his power to counter her miasma. Only enough to push hers back. He noticed her fight back, challenging his presence with her own. It became a game of tug of war. "Now, what was the point of all this?"

Her smirk grew. She took a few steps around him, and he in turn walked around her radius to never let her spot an opening. Her magic wand twirled in her hand. "Dragoon-chan, I am to test you to see if you are worthy to hold the title of an Ultimate-class Devil. We both know what you are and I know of your potential. But this has to be done. It is a tradition for newly ascended Devils."

It would explain the potency of her aura. Her demonic energy was far more toxic than whatever she permitted within Kuoh. What she kept hidden was being unbound one latch at a time just for him. He marveled at it. Hers was a power that could match his, push him, and possibly break him if he slipped even once.

"That doesn't explain everything before," he countered. "My friends. Why would you have them involved in this?"

"Because that's the other trial I needed to test you on, Red Blur," she said with her cute voice. "You were once a hero. But where has that hero gone? I no longer see the shining knight of the people. The Red Blur I revered as my rival has vanished. All I see in front of me is a little boy who has hung up his cape because he failed _one person._ "

Her words stung. He stopped his pacing and fully faced her. She did likewise. His draconian energy surged at her words as the anger he was always battling against nearly won. She had struck a chord that no other dared.

"People die all the time, Red Blur," she went on. "You can't save everyone. And you would let everyone else suffer because you failed her? The world needs you once again."

He said nothing.

She pointed her wand back down the road he had come from. "Your friends! They were there to challenge you! They were there to prove they are willing to bring you back to the path of justice even if it meant fighting you! And you didn't listen. You beat them down instead before any words could be shared."

"…All they shouted was nonsense about stopping me," he countered.

"Because you weren't willing to listen," she said again. "Do you not see how much they love you? It tore them apart to fight you. Yet they did it to show how far they are willing to go for you. You've not only shut out the world from hearing their cries, it seems you've shut out your friends as well. I've no choice but to make you listen to reason now. Red Blur, this Miracle Levia shall bring you back to the path of justice! Hear my love for justice through my magic!"

 _Treat this as though it were real._

Power unleashed through the both of them. Their energies clashed, creating sparks that split the ground and melted the sand.

Serafall fired the first shot. She waved her wand and let loose a barrage of magical blasts. They were nothing like Vali's magical bullets. They were as large as cannonballs and emitted every color of the spectrum. His senses flared, signifying how dangerous they were to be struck by one.

He dodged, flickering in and out of existence with intense speed none could capture. Even Serafall had difficulty keeping track of his movements and could only follow him through her mind's eye burned into her being through her centuries of experience. She saw him coming at her flank.

She waved her wand, this time far faster than the first strike. It had been at a speed to match his. A wave of frost ejected out of the tip and spread everywhere within her vision. Meters of sand and ocean were frozen solid in an instant.

Issei had sensed the attack coming and had moved out of the way. But he hadn't been quick enough. His entire right side was frozen solid. Already his draconian might was thawing out the ice, fighting away the demonic signature clinging close to his armor, and shattered it all within the span of a second. He continued to move while this transpired.

He swung his fist forward while he was ten meters away from her. The back of his fist glowed hot and the crescendo of his swing unleashed a shockwave of red energy. It blew sand everywhere upon eruption and split the ground as it traveled.

Serafall put up a magical shield before impact. The blast shook the air but her shield held firm. She was already preparing her next strike, conjuring multiple magic circles around her.

Blasts of raw demonic energy and frost began to barrage upon him.

He wouldn't allow any one of them to hit him. He would take Serafall as seriously as he would to a threat upon the planet. He would treat her like all those other monsters he had faced.

The Gift of Flight activated upon his will. The translucent wings pervading colors and lights only found within the Dimensional Gap flared to life and carried him away faster than any speed measurable. Because he hadn't moved based on speed. He had simply moved dependent on his will.

He hovered over the ocean waters, far enough to see her next attack coming before she would unleash it yet not too far to counter or strike.

He chose to strike.

A roar escaped his throat as his draconian might surged out of his body. Several crimson orbs manifested around his body and floated lazily in the air. He called upon his heavenly authority to amplify their lethality. Each orb began to glow a dark color as rich as blood.

Serafall's eyes widened.

"Dragon Barrage!"

Multiple Dragon Shots were fired upon her location in unison. It tore everything apart upon impact with the detonation thereafter devastated the land. His wings carried him further away, escaping the blast he had grossly underestimated.

His senses flared again. Danger approached.

Serafall broke out of the crimson rays of the blast, encased in a barrier with hairline cracks. Her Devil wings fluttered as she took up towards the skies in pursuit. She had lost her wand, or given it up, as a pair of magic circles rotated in each of her palms.

Her sapphire eyes lit up as her energy signature spiked.

"Frozen World."

It hadn't been a simple title some character uses as a named attack. It was a trigger, something she needed to use to let loose a spell beyond her normal means to control. Serafall brought both hands together, letting each magic circle overlap the other and glowing fiercely when they touched.

There was simply no way of dodging this next move. Even with his Gift of Flight.

The world was turned white with snow and ice. The temperature of the island dropped to arctic levels. The ocean froze. The sand froze. The air froze. Even the remaining draconian radiation froze solid.

And Issei was trapped in a dense layer of ice.

Serafall had changed the entire territory of their battle. What was once a beautiful sunny island was now a barren arctic wasteland as far as the eye could see in every direction. Be it from horizon to horizon to even up towards the heavens. There could be no escape from this devastating spell.

…Save those she didn't want frozen. It had taken her centuries to perfect this spell. She had first used it during the Civil War but the spell froze _everyone_ be they friend or foe. Now she could use it and choose to leave a certain number of people out of it… such as her beloved camera crew and Issei's entourage.

Issei's wings glowed as bright as the sun. But try as they might, for no matter how brilliant they might be, they could not travel through solid mass. He was stuck in place.

But then his body jerked. A minor spasm within his prison. It jerked again. And again. And again.

Now she was starting to see his body move as it gradually made more room, no matter how small it may be.

Another magic circle formed in her hand. She clutched her hand close.

The mountain of ice concealing Issei compressed onto his form. The mountain quickly became a hill as every bit of ice folded in on itself, cramming each molecule together as tightly packed as possible. The pressure alone would have crushed any Devil no matter how formidable they may have been. It was a testament to his durability to see he wasn't reduced into mesh.

No matter how much she wanted to believe this was her victory, she knew what Issei was. Something in her gut was telling her this was far from over.

She wasn't wrong.

His body began to discolor, almost going invisible. At first, nothing was happening as far as she could tell. But as the seconds ticked, she began to notice what he was doing.

He was melting the ice from within. It should have been impossible. The ice was powered by her demonic energy and would resist any form of heat while bleeding him dry of his. Yet he was creating the smallest pockets as his power was overriding hers. Those small pockets may have been smaller than a millimeter but they were enough for him. He twitched, again and again. No, not twitching. Vibrating. He was forcing his body to vibrate at a high enough speed to generate enough friction to amplify the draconian heat!

She put more power into her spell and placed both hands together to suppress him. But now she felt the resistance and how strongly it was growing. He was filling the center with every ounce of his power. The canister she had created was beginning to crack by the pressure that was greater than hers and only continued to grow. Sweat fell down her brow as she put more power into her efforts.

But even her oceanic reserves and masterful level of control weren't enough to compare against a Heavenly Dragon.

Ice shattered in every direction, sending shrapnel at blinding speeds. She put up a barrier as soon as she knew her spell was about to fail. She was bombarded not only by the fragments of ice the size of houses and semis, she was also bombarded by the toxic miasma of Issei's draconian presence.

Issei climbed out of his prison rather than to fly. Steam hissed whatever he touched. She could not see an inch of his armor with how much energy he was veiled in. His draconic essence wrapped around him and was so thick it distorted his image. He was like a red phantom with piercing green eyes and radiant wings.

His presence was heating the area around them. Him simply standing there was changing the territory just the same as her spell had. The ice around them was melting as her demonic energy was being washed away by his.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice echoing due to the interference from his own power, "I couldn't hear your love of justice because I was being awesome."

He had a right to boast. The only other ones who have escaped this attack would be Sirzechs Lucifer and Sir Rolan. Everyone else died quickly.

"Did I ever tell you that outfit is stupid?"

…Now he was just being an ass. Her brow twitched. Her outfit was _adorable!_ How dare he mock the attire of a magical girl!

"There's no appeal to it," he went on. "It hardly assents your breasts. If they weren't massive already I wouldn't have thought you had any. There's only so much wrapping and tight clothes can do to hide those things, by the way. And what's up with that skirt?! Even as I'm standing right now I should be able to see your panties but all I'm getting is steam in my way! I'm transferring my power to my eyes and I _still_ can't see them!"

"The power of a magical girl comes from virtue, innocence, and moe!" she argued back. "A charm has been placed to keep little boys like you from stealing a maiden's purity!"

"Then I call bullshit!" he shook his fist. Least what she assumed to be his fist since his whole image was blurred. "If I'm not a hero then there's no way in _hell_ you're a magical girl! You're nothing like the Sailor Scouts!"

Lightning coursed through her spine. A sharp pain surged through her right temple.

"…What," she hissed. "What did you compare me to?"

"You are a lie as much as I am," he said. "Your magic comes from you being a Devil. _Real_ magic girls obtain their powers through magic artifacts, phantasmal beings, or wizards with nothing better to do with their time. And there's nothing _moe_ about your show! I haven't seen a costume slip or a panty shot the whole damn time I watched it! Face it, Leviathan-sama, you're not cute!"

"I'M ADORABLE!" she declared.

A new wave of ice crashed against the wall of dragon's essence. Superheated steam blew everywhere and covered the area in a dense fog.

Pockets of air and flashed of light appeared within the field. Thunderous eruptions shook the air. Two figures traversed through the labyrinth as they clashed.

Serafall was the first to break free from the fog to breathe cool air and examine her surroundings. Her clothes were in tatters and blood trickled down the side of her mouth from a lucky shot. She waved her hands, manipulating the steam into becoming another layer of ice to trap Issei to buy her time.

She didn't have time to complete it. A barrage of crimson beams fired out of the fog. One struck her barrier, knocking her around within and leaving a thick crack across its surface. She moved upon instinct instead of thought as her wings carried her. The beams continued to come as she swerved at the last instance at every strike to avoid them.

But she couldn't avoid all of them. One beam caught her by surprise and crashed against her barrier. The blast was too strong and her barrier shattered. The shards of demonic essence cut into her skin and clothes while the burns from the splash of the dragon beam traveled throughout her being.

Issei broke out of the fog with his armor fully visible again. He flew straight for her with his wings bringing him directly in front of her faster than a blink.

Her only choice was to teleport away from him. In the next blink she was able to gain ninety meters away from him. More than enough for her to catch her breath and reform her defense.

But those wings of his! He was upon her the _instant_ her teleportation finished. As soon as she stepped back into reality the first thing she saw was him just a few feet away from her.

He swung his arm around with his claws extended.

She put up an instant barrier, one far weaker than her previous one due to the haste. But it was enough, if not barely. Had he used a fist he could have bashed through it. Instead, his claws sank through the magic yet with enough resistance to divert his attack from being lethal.

His claws nicked her clothes and tore off the buttons to her blouse. With nothing binding the fabric together was her chest threatened for exposure.

She didn't have the time to worry about it. The thought never came to her anyways. She was in battle-mode and focused entirely on that.

"Winter Blast."

A new spell was conjured. She brought her fist forward with a magic circle formed at her knuckles. Issei put ups his guard by switching perfectly into his Defender stance. The spell triggered as soon as her fist met his guard— but not before she winced at how hard his armor was.

A fully compact blizzard broke free. A point blank range. With winds capable of freezing creatures dead in seconds and able to splice them open with shards of ice.

The roar of the wind was overruled by the roar of a dragon.

The shockwave of his increased power shattered her spell and pushed her back. It felt like she had been hit by a truck… granted she could easily brush aside such a vehicle with a flick of her wrist but the metaphor was the point.

"I still can't hear you, Leviathan-sama," he said, giving the two of them time to breathe. She could tell his breathing was hardened. He was pumped from their exchange but nowhere near winded. "Why do I have to fight you? If you are a hero of justice just as I am, why are we fighting?"

"If we stop will you go back out there and finish what you started?" she countered as she gathered her demonic energies for a new set of spells.

His reply was silence.

"This is why we fight," she said with a grim tone. "Do you know why I preach about love and justice, Dragoon-chan? Because I have blood on my hands. I've murdered my countrymen and those I once called friends. I have seen and performed horrors you are well aware of. I was once a monster you would have put down. I do not want to see something like that ever again. I wish for a world that will sing about love and peace, no matter how impossible or _childish_ that dream may be.

"What of you, Red Blur? Do you remember the reasons why you became a hero in the first place?"

Issei bowed his head. His signature pulsed as something clicked in his mind. She had reached something within him but she couldn't tell what it was until he answered.

"I don't remember," was his reply.

Her retort was to blast him with every ounce of magic she had been able to gather. A storm of frost blades bounced off his armor. Some managed to pierce through the gaps between. He could have used his wings to avoid them but instead he chose to hold his ground.

"Don't you lie to me!" she shouted. "You know what the answer is! You can't run from it! Face it, Hyoudou Issei! Why would you fly around the world solving every possible crime that you spot from theft to apocalyptic catastrophes? Why would you go to such lengths to hide your identity? Why would you make a show of it all for one little girl? Do you have no pride in what you have done? Have you no shame in ignoring the world that pleads for your return?"

"I have no reason!" he bellowed. He flexed his body, shattering the ice impaled through his joints. Blood dripped for a few seconds until it stopped. His wounds had healed. "I have no reason to save them as much as I could condemn them!"

"That's not the answer either!" Another barrage of ice flew his way. He swung his fist forward, creating a shockwave of red energy that shattered every projectile. "You and I both know the reason why. I want to hear it, _Dragon Rider!_ Tell me why I should anoint you as a Demon Lord! What do you fight for?!"

Magic circles formed around her proximity. Multiple barrages of icicles fired towards him.

"Dammit all to hell Leviathaaaaaaaan!" he roared and brought his fists around in multiple successions. Red shockwaves shattered the ice but more continued to come. He went on and on, shattering wave after wave. But more came at him.

She gritted her teeth and focused harder. More magic circles were conjured, adding more artillery to overwhelm him.

Eventually he was being overwhelmed. He wasn't quick enough to disrupt the new set of waves. Many carved into him. But he continued to fight on. Slowly, but surely, he was gaining a resistance to her attack.

Sweat beaded her brow as she focused harder. She channeled more energy into each icicle. Her demonic energy turned the ice red with how much power she was feeding into them. It was the only way to counteract his growing resistance.

"HHHARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!"

Instead of continuing to defend himself, he charged his wings yet again. Instead of flying away, he came directly for her.

Her icicles tore into him, impaling him at every inch as soon as he let down his guard. But he ignored them. He plowed through her artillery to come directly at her.

She put up a barrier to keep him at bay. However, he tore through it with his charge. His eyes were glowing with a flame unlike any other. Passion. Triumph. Things she could only see in the eyes of a champion who had a reason to fight.

His hand reached for her. But it didn't come at her throat like she had anticipated.

It cupped around her left breast. Her _bare_ breast.

"For these," he answered in a savage tone. "I refused to be a killer for the sake of breasts."

Her mind came to a screeching halt. Her magic came undone and every icicle she created dissolved into mist, including the ones impaling him. Blood gushed out of him as nothing was there to fill his wounds.

Still he stood, keeping himself floating through sheer will. He held his head up high and his voice feral. "The hero always gets the girl, doesn't he? I thought if I could be a hero… I could get a flock of girls to chase after me. I thought… if… hero… never alone… again…"

While still cupping her breast, he leaned against her and fell unconscious. He had simply lost too much blood. His armor shattered into motes of light, leaving him in his shredded shirt and swimwear. His life was not in danger. She could see his wounds closing shut gradually.

She held him up despite him being taller than her. A smile graced her face. A smile of relief and victory. A wave of exhaustion hit her as soon as her heart started to calm. While neither of them were really going all out— he did not use his Juggernaut Drive and she didn't use any of her more arcane and forbidden techniques— they both used their fair share of expensive abilities.

"I guess that's as good of an answer I'll ever get," she sighed to herself. "Dragoon-chan… I don't like to be alone either. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost my So-tan. I suppose you pass. But I hope you tell me the real answer someday."

She carried him down to the ground… and all the while his hand never let go of her left breast.

…No matter how hard she tried to pry it off.

*Scene*

Predator. It is the natural defense mechanism of the World. Those imbued with the title of Predator are deemed the World's Ultimate Killers. They are the apex creatures who have achieved the ability to kill anything in existence and, simultaneously, are capable of surviving against anything in existence. So long as these two requirements are met can any number of creatures walking the planet can be dubbed Predators.

 _It had been three weeks since the catastrophe that has been dubbed 'The Red Storm'. Countries from all over the eastern hemisphere are still at work undoing the damage left by the battle between the Eighth and Fourth Predators. The Devils, enforced by decree of Serafall Leviathan, have been at work to repair territories and distill the chaotic and highly toxic residue left from the battle. Azazel, Governor of the Grigori, has deployed his finest craftsmen and casters to assist in the efforts. A temporary and hushed truce had been formed in an effort to clean up this hazard._

A Predator is granted a number of perks to enhance their killing and survival attributes. They are directly linked to the system that is the World— for everything on the planet is theirs to mark. No target may hide from them so long as they exist inside the World. No threat may approach them without their knowledge so long as it is seen by the World. _Nothing_ escapes their detection.

 _But not everything can be so easily fixed. A mass number of lives have been lost from every country this storm had hit. The world may heal in time but it shall forever leave a scar. Those who have witnessed and survived the Red Storm must live on with a heavy heart. Many are crippled, many are ill from the toxins, many are rendered catatonic._

However, there is a burden forced upon every Predator. As they are a part of the defense system programmed by the Ruler and enforced by the World, a Predator shall always be present to remove threats that endanger the existence of the World and its Ruler. In order to keep a Predator in their peak condition, the World leaves them in the perpetual state of mind they were when ascending to the rank of Predator. What emotion, thought, feeling, perception, and so on the Predator processed when they received their title would never fade from their consciousness. Never.

 _The people feel betrayed. It is undeniable who did this to them. They had seen his image countless times throughout the years. He had been their savior. Their hero. The one who gave them hope there was something better out there. He had proven there was nothing to be afraid of, had punished criminals and put down monsters, and had promised to always be there for them no matter the size of the problem. None knew of his identity but they always revered him as a red blur. And that is how they named their savior. The Red Blur._

 _It was undeniable from witness accounts to footage who brought about the Red Storm. The Red Blur has been accused of killing millions. And… it is the unfair truth._

A Predator may receive a title along with their rank. The title, granted through the authority of the World and verdict of the Ruler, proclaims the specialty of the Predator to be the greatest of his kind that ever was and ever shall be. Such as the Dragon Slayer, who is the greatest bane of any dragon-kind and none shall ever rival him. To the Divine Beast, who is the holiest of sacred creatures and transcends even the greatness of the gods.

To the Dragoon, who has usurped the authority of a Primordial being. And none may replicate let alone surpass what he has accomplished.

 _ **"I… was just doing my homework…"**_ _spoke one girl being interviewed. She was a broken creature who was on the brink of losing her will to live. She sat on a hospital bed, unable to feel her legs. Her left arm was amputated._ _ **"Mom took Yuuji to the convenient store for some sweets. Dad was in the other room watching the game. T-Then… the roof fell. I… I was stuck in my room for three days. Dad… D-Dad told me everything would be fine. B-B-But he didn't say a word the next day. They haven't found Mom or Yuuji yet! It's been three weeks!"**_

Hyoudou Issei is one such Predator. He is marked as the Seventh in seniority. Though each and every Predator is on equal grounds with another, his title as Seventh holds a weight that other Predators may feel oppressed by. He, who was originally ranked at Eighth, had received his recent rank for his latest exploit.

Hyoudou Issei had killed the former Fourth Predator, the Vampire. All Predators of rank Fifth and above were moved forward on the roster given by the Ruler. Their new ranks are forever a reminder that someone, and one of their own at that, had killed the invincible. The rank of Seventh is both a trophy and a sword. He holds claim to boast the impossible and may use this to strike fear into his compatriots.

 _ **"Why did this happen?!"**_

 _ **"He couldn't have! He's the Red Blur!"**_

 _ **"My wife is dead because of him!"**_

 _ **"Mom! Dad! Please come home!"**_

 _ **"Someone! Help! Can you hear me?! I'm trapped down here!"**_

 _ **"It's all his fault!"**_

 _ **"He left us and this is what he became!"**_

 _ **"…I hate him."**_

But… at what cost did this moment of triumph come at?


	2. The Mad Archmage

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Issei sat down on the grass before his parent's graves. He was supposed to be resting after his little mock exam with Serafall Leviathan but everyone underestimated his healing capabilities. Hell, even he was shocked to find he was at the peak of his condition after a few hours. Asia did well to heal his physical wounds, as she always did, but they figured he would need a day or two to recover his stamina. Serafall had been no pushover— even if they both held back considerably— and he used a hefty sum of his reserves when pushing back.

But here he was, sneaking out of the house through the particular tunnel below his house only he knew about. Well, Rias and the others knew about it but didn't know where to find it exactly nor how to navigate it. It was his personal secret labyrinth he used when going out on patrols as the Red Blur.

While the Occult Research Club was attending school, Issei had gone here.

"Sorry I haven't been around lately," he bowed in apology while scratching the back of his head. He had a small smile gracing his lips. "A lot's happened since I last came here. Let's see… Well, I got a girl to ask me out on a date. But she turned out to be a Fallen Angel who wanted to kill me because of my Sacred Gear. Oh, that's right, the dragon powers I was talking about before? Apparently it's called a Sacred Gear. Oh yeah, Fallen Angels. You guys wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Issei laughed quietly to himself as he explained the supernatural world to his parents. He explained the lectures Rias had told him about the Biblical factions, about the Sacred Gears, and had admitted to his reincarnation as a Devil.

"Rias is my master," he said with a nod. "But don't take it the wrong way. I'm in love with her… and… w-well, she loves me back. She's not the only one, either. There's Asia! Ah ha… that's another story, isn't it? Geez a lot has happened since I've been here…

"Man, where do I even begin? Ah. I met Asia after I had saved Ayame-chan from— Gaaaaah! I forgot about Ayame! Y-Yeah, Mom, Dad, I made a little sister. You… You guys would have loved her…"

There was melancholy in his eyes despite the smile he kept up. He recalled the story from the very beginning, about how he became a Devil because of Raynare, about his duties as a Devil, and about one of his clients— the little girl Nakashima Ayame.

He couldn't keep the smile as the story escalated. He told his parents about the Face Stealing Monster returning and doing terrible things to Ayame. About how he tried to save her, had failed, and had let the little girl he called sister die in his arms.

He was quiet for a moment.

"It's not Asia's fault," he said suddenly. "It was _their_ fault. Those others just like me I told you about? Like Rolan and Siegfried? Asia was the one who was supposed to die but… _he_ took Ayame instead. They wanted me to toughen up, to make me into a killer just like them. Mom, Dad… they did it. I haven't been the same since that event. I don't think I've ever actually slept since then. Sometimes… I still see the blood on my hands."

For a moment, he let the rage consume him. A feral growl escaped the back of his throat and his skin shifted from pale flesh to reptilian scale. But there was nothing to fuel that rage any longer. A memory of the incident was enough to stir it but not enough to drive it. As quickly as it came, the rage was suppressed and Issei was back in control.

Still, the World would not allow it to die. This longing to rip flesh apart with his bare hands continued to battle against him in the back of his mind.

"I'm one of them," he said with finality, more so to himself than to his parents. He shut his eyes as he lifted his head back. A sigh escaped his lips.

 **"I am the Dragoon,"** __he said with a voice of power fueled by the essence of the World itself.

The area became sterile upon this echo of his. All sound ceased to exist. The bugs no longer fluttered, the birds stopped singing, even the wind ceased to blow. He was Death and all things ceased to be when he arrived.

How ironic must it have been for an Ultimate Killer to be in a graveyard?

"Nothing's been the same," he said returning to his parents. "I always knew I was… different. These powers and what I did with Ddraig… But I could have lived with them. At least then I could have pretended to have had a normal life. I'm sure if I got a girlfriend back then she wouldn't have freaked out… well… _too much_ when she found out. But now? Now I am a Predator. Both the World and the Ruler acknowledge it. I can't tell you what that means because I don't know. But I can tell you what has changed…"

He shared with them the 'perks' of being a Predator. While, yes, their abilities were exceptionally useful they were more liken to curses in his case. He could never turn them off.

He was to forever and continuously be aware of his surroundings. His mind told him the millions of bugs roaming around the gravesite, which direction they were going, and if one of them were to approach him and bite him. He knew whenever someone was around his area. He also knew if someone was talking about him, was plotting to do him harm, even so much as _thinking_ about him.

For the latter, these individuals could have been on the opposite ends of the earth and he would still know.

He knew Serene was at the edge of the gravesite, having following him and not trying to hide her presence from him. At least she was being considerate and waited for him at the gates.

He knew what the most efficient method for doing almost anything in his daily life. His body usually moved fluently, naturally on its own. His body avoided uneven terrain, obstacles in his path, and people who would run into him from around corners. There was an inhuman grace to this that frightened him. A month and he had yet to get used to it. It was as though his body was no longer his.

In combat, he knew every move his opponent would make before the opposition did. He knew how to counter and defend against them. Again, his body would move before his mind could fully register the information provided to him by the World. He simply moved and the World guided him.

He knew how to kill his target with the least amount of effort, to do so with utmost efficiency.

If he put some thought into it, if he pondered on a certain individual or thing, he could locate that target no matter where they hid. Crime lords and monsters that had gotten away during his time as the Red Blur could now be hunted. He could see them within his mind as though peering through a window, could study them and learn of their habits (if the World did not do that for him anyways), and learn new people or things they interacted with that he would have never met.

All of these things would have been marvelous… if he wanted to be an Ultimate Killer. If he wanted to be a defender of the planet. If he wanted to dedicate his life to ridding the world of its evil and saving people.

"…I never wanted to be a hero," he admitted. "Ever since Ayame died I haven't gone back out as the Red Blur. I don't see a point in it. Besides, the whole world hates me right now. They have a right to. I left them, ignored them when they were pleading for me to return, and caused a catastrophe that killed millions of people. Rias and everyone have been trying to hide that from me… keeping me inside and all. But it's kinda hard to not notice everyone in the world throwing hate at me."

He understood what everyone was trying to pull. That whole day at the beach had been a means of them to pull him out of the house, to stretch his legs so to speak, without him directly seeing the destruction he had wrought.

"It was all because I ran into the Face Stealing Monster again," he explained. "He came again to take the things I love. My friends. I thought I was going to lose them and I knew that if I let him run away again he would come back again. I don't know if I would have been able to stop him.

"So I killed him," he said with a grim tone. "I gave it my all and killed him. I held nothing back and threw everything I had at him. He fought back. My entire focus was locked on him and I ignored my surroundings. We… destroyed a lot of things. I killed a lot of people. They have a right to hate me after that. Millions had died… just so I could kill one person."

He let out a sigh.

"Right now… I don't know what to do next," he said after a moment. "Rias keeps asking me if I'll ever go back out there. Leviathan-san wants me to be a hero as well— oh, she's the one helping me become a Demon Lord. It's the rank the Devils gave me. It's supposed to be really important, but I don't know anything about Devil society.

"But, Mom, Dad, I'm tired," he sighed once more, this time shaking as every ounce of his breath was swept out of his lungs. His body slouched as he felt the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. The weight of being a Predator. "I… want a normal life again. I miss when the only thing I had to worry about was seeing a live boob. This… this is too much for me. I can't manage to run the entire supernatural government in Japan. I couldn't even stay in school!

"Argh! _School_! Yeah… your son is a dropout. And it wasn't because I had poor grades or got caught peeping. Though… I did get caught anyways, that's not the reason why I got the boot. Do you guys remember… Shitori-sempai? Well, her real name is Sona Sitri and she's also a Devil. And… well…"

He rubbed his face as he told _that_ story. About his relationship with the Student Council president, how she had been there after he ascended into the Predators' rank, about her engagement to Sixth Predator Rolan— who was now Fifth Predator thanks to Issei— and their last argument on that evening when he flung her desk across the room.

Halfway through telling this story, he wondered if his parents would suffer from being overloaded with information. If it were him listening to all these things he would have to make the person repeat most of the details.

"I lost the support of my best friend," he finished his story. "Yeah. Remember how I said I thought she was scared of me? Turns out she really was, but at least in the beginning. She turned it around and we really got to know the other. It was nice… having the chance to talk to her just like how I can talk to you guys. But I probably fucked it up.

"Still, regardless of my doubts at the moment, that's the one thing I won't let happen. I'm not going to hand her over to Rolan. Don't worry, I'm not going to marry her. I mean… Sona and I don't like each other like that…"

He paused, thinking about his testament. He wouldn't deny he had a crush on her. She was one of the prettiest girls he would ever meet and had this air of professionalism about her that was… really hot, all things considered. Like the strict librarian sort. But there was far more depth to Sona than shallow beauty. She had always been there for him, regardless of her intentions. Even in these few months of overcoming her fear for him, Sona had opened up to him in ways that none of the other girls could.

There was an intimacy between them. What it meant… he didn't know.

"There's a lot more I want to share," he mused with a more lax expression. A shrug. "But I think that's already a lot to soak in. I'm going to be a lot busier these next few days. Leviathan-san is going to start teaching me what I need to know when I start work as a Demon Lord. I don't know when the next time I'll be able to visit…

"I miss you guys. I'll see you later."

He didn't move at first. His eyes bore into the names etched onto the tombstone in a similar manner he would look at another's face. For a moment, he could almost recall their faces. It was always difficult for him. They were his parents and he knew every detail about them without having to think hard on it. But recalling their faces also brought back…

The Vampire. After all, he had worn their faces like masks when he killed them.

A shudder went through Issei. _It was over._ The Vampire was dead, having been obliterated by Issei's hands.

He was no longer Eighth Predator. **He was Seventh.**

With a small bow, he turned away and walked down the hill leading to the gates of the graveyard.

Serene of Finland— no, that wasn't right to call her that anymore— Amelia Rosewood was sitting on a bench just outside the hallowed grounds. She was wearing a plain dark green dress that reached down to her ankles with a pair of knitted sandals. It was a modest dress that wrapped around her neck, disappointing him in the lack of exposed skin. But the only exception to this was that it was sleeveless.

She looked at him, unmoving and observing him as though not wanting to disturb him at all. She said nothing as he approached her and continued to sit still even as he leaned against the outward wall to stand beside her.

"Thank you," he said. He didn't need to tell her what he was thanking her for. She had respected his privacy and waited patiently for him. She also didn't try to hide her presence, though it wasn't as if she really could. Once one Predator noticed another, so too would that Predator for the other.

She nodded. "Master, may I be selfish and request a bit of your time?"

"…You know, you can call me Issei," he said, scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. "I know you're my Queen and all… but don't you think that's enough? You don't need to be so… formal about it. It's also kinda…"

Master. It stirred emotions in him in ways he _really_ didn't want to share. On one hand, he wasn't used to being in charge of someone else. He wasn't a leader. His people skills were mediocre at best and he knew he had next to no charisma compared to Rias Gremory. Now _she_ he could follow dutifully because she had this presence around him that demanded attention and servitude.

The other reason… was because it made him want to pop a boner. Amelia's voice was always soothing, having the mindset of complete acceptance of all things as a Predator. Her tone was tranquil and lulled in harmony. She was peace incarnate. Someone like that, whose voice was as sweet as honey, calling him _Master_ disturbed him in a way that made his loins stir.

Amelia was _hot._ There was no denying that. But she was his equal in terms of killing might. And he recalled that one instance in the Vatican where she decimated him after a panty raid through the sister-in-training dormitories.

Simply, he wasn't sure if he should keep checking her out or leave her be.

"I insist," she said in her calm tone. It was also hard to tell when she was being serious, sarcastic, or leisurely. But… somehow she always managed to make her point known. "We've discussed this, Master. But… if it bothers you so much I can compromise. I won't drop the honorific when it is so demanded. Your reputation is important for your sake as well as mine. Perhaps… in moments of privacy… yes, I shall address you by your name.

"…On the condition… y-you call me… A-Amy…"

She turned her head away, her face pouting and cheeks reddening.

That's totally not fair! Why all of a sudden was she being cute?! Amelia Rosewood doesn't play cute! She puts her foot down and keeps it there! She bends for no one!

Gaaaaaaaaaaah! Why was she being so tsun-tsun all of a sudden?!

"Too much…?" she asked. Her pouting face had switched back to a look of tranquility as fast as a lightbulb would blink out.

"…Too much," Issei agreed. He had fallen to the fetal position as he hammered his head against the metaphorical wall within his mind. He'd do it in person but he didn't want to damage the sidewalk.

What she did tugged against his heart. For a moment he thought Amelia was cute. He wasn't supposed to think this!

"Master, in regards to my earlier inquiry…?"

His head popped up… though he didn't get off the floor. A blank look was on his face. "Oh yeah. Sorry, you needed something?"

Amelia rose with a human grace. It wasn't unearthly nor was it fluent like how a Devil would move. It was… mundane. Yet there was a beauty to it that made her seem more real than any of the people he knew as a Devil. "I would like to borrow you for the remainder of the afternoon. I want to show you what I've been doing these past few weeks. Will you indulge me of this?"

He stood and nodded. "Sure. Yeah, no problem. I just gotta make sure to be back before school gets out. Rias is going to be mad if she finds out I snuck out."

They both began to walk down the sidewalk, side-by-side. Amelia tilted her head and answered with something that could be accepted as amusement. "I'm afraid Lady Gremory already knows of your absence, Master. You are still her Pawn and the Evil Piece within should alert her of your location. But… I believe she will understand."

He groaned and let his posture sag. He had a feeling he was going to get his ass chewed out.

*Scene*

Rias Gremory crossed her legs once more as she moved her knight across the field. She was getting antsy over this game, as she usually did. Sona was a great opponent who was a master strategist. There was no denying she was more intelligent than Rias… though not by as much as people like to believe. Rias was brilliant in her own way. However, in most cases, had they been strangers Sona would have won every match.

It was because Rias knew Sona's personality inside and out was she able to keep up with the girl. Even besting her on those rare occasions. She knew how the Sitri Heiress reacted to almost every move. Even striking up certain conversations would tip the scales in either favor and Rias always knew which buttons to press.

"Have you gotten any word about Saji?" she asked.

There. Instead of using the rook to take out her bishop, which would then allow Rias' pawns to advance, Sona shifted her strategy immediately. She chose instead to move her rook into a retreat, opening a new set of moves for both girls to take advantage of.

"…I have been kept in the dark about his whereabouts," Sona responded sullenly. She fixed her glasses as her eyes glistened with irritation. Irritation and worry. "The Dragon Slayer refuses to respond to any of my demands. Not that I expect someone of his position to anyways. My sister is of no help either."

Rias frowned. "Sona, what exactly happened?"

It was Sona's turn to move again. And she would have. But she remained in her seat, this time reclining and crossing her arms— a sign of protection for her wellbeing. Her brows were crinkled as she recalled something Rias hoped would be enlightened about.

"He confessed to me," was her response after a while.

Rias' brows rose in both intrigue and doubt. Not for Saji's actions, but in regards if it was the actual story and reason why he suddenly disappeared.

Sona stared at her friend just as much as Rias did. Eventually she breathed out, fixed her glasses once more, and made her next move. "I couldn't give him a response. He wouldn't let me. I'd rather not share with you what he told me. It's quite personal and, frankly, I'd like to keep that part between Saji and I.

"I should have responded…" she said with a grim tone. She leaned her head against her palm with the elbow propped on the armrest. There was a rare sign of fatigue on the indefatigable Sona Sitri. "Perhaps, even if it had been a lie, I should have stalled him. Kept him to myself. I knew something was going to happen but I didn't think the Dragon Slayer would steal him from me. Come the next day and Saji is… gone."

Rias wanted to say something… but wasn't sure what. What if it had been any of her Pieces? What if Yuuto had, all of a sudden, confessed to her and decided to run away with a Predator to parts unknown? Would she have risked everything to stop him? Would she have bedded with him, even if it meant rape, _just_ to keep him from leaving? Saji would have probably stayed.

But Sona would have probably regretted it in the end. Not about making Saji stay by her side, but by lying to herself. Rias knew she cared deeply for the Pawn but not in the say Saji would hope. There was love, without a doubt, but the same amount of love Rias would have for all of her other Pieces. The only one she had a romantic interest in was Issei. And, sadly, Sona didn't share those feelings for Saji.

There was another thought. A dark thought Rias didn't want to admit but couldn't dismiss either. What would Issei have thought if Sona had seduced Saji? And, she knew, it would devastate him.

Her heart lurched. There was no mistaking her Pawn had feelings for Sona, whether he knew about them or not.

Even more so, Rias knew Sona had just as conflicting and confused emotions for the Dragoon.

"I'm sure Sir Siegfried is taking good care of him," Rias chose to say instead of everything rampaging inside her mind. "For all his… eccentricity, he has proven to be a reliable associate. It's still unsure where his loyalties lie but I know for sure he wouldn't risk upsetting you. You are the sister to the Leviathan, after all."

…She really wanted to say it was because of Issei. Ludwig von Siegfried wouldn't risk upsetting Sona because it would then upset Issei. Ludwig's interest was _only_ in making sure he was in good graces with the Dragoon Predator. It was his orders from the Queen of the British Isles.

Sona gave her a look that said she understood the deeper meaning behind those words. She couldn't hide anything from Sona, it seemed. The girl was too sharp for her own good. "Yes. Because my sister is as much capable of negotiating with one of the world's greatest killers. Heaven knows how she's able to manage Hyoudou."

Her response was snarky. Sona didn't do anything cynical or sarcastic. She was always honest and straight to the point. Sona was the definition of professionalism.

Watching her like this was like watching someone drown. Sona was crumbling apart and it was obvious to tell. No amount of makeup could cover up the bags under her eyes. And there were a few wrinkles on her uniform plus the single stray hair out of place. Sona was always pristine in her presentation. Always sharp. Always focused.

"Sona…" Rias breathed out. She was just as tired as her dear friend. "Why don't you two make up already?"

Sona's eyes flashed for a moment. Anger? Irritation? Regret? Rias wasn't sure if it were any of those emotions, all of them, or something new by mixing them all together. It didn't matter. The moment passed and Sona returned to her stern expression… once more fixing her glasses to cover her slipup. "He brought this upon himself, Rias. Now, I don't wish to discuss this any further."

"You saying that tells me otherwise," Rias countered. She ignored the level glare her childhood friend was throwing her way. "Sona, this has been bothering you just as much as it has with Ise. He doesn't like to talk about it either. But you should see him whenever I mention your name. He brightens up and is absorbed in everything I have to say—"

"Stop," Sona pressed her lips together.

The game was forgotten by this point.

Rias sighed and crossed her arms beneath her bust. "He needs you, you know. I'm swallowing my pride here, Sona. Both as a King and as a woman. It hurts having to say these things. It makes me feel like I've failed in both regards if he holds you at a higher esteem than myself."

"Was that the point of your visit today?" Sona said in a sharp tone with a challenging stare.

"I came here because I've been worried for you," Rias argued. "About everything. You're still my closest friend and unparalleled rival."

"The only thing I need to worry about is the whereabouts and condition of Saji," was her cold response. "In regards to Hyoudou, I have to say this is a nice change of pace. Things have been calm around here. I no longer need to stress about having my life being put in danger at every instance. My future is promised now that I have the backing of Sir Rolan."

Though she said all that with a level tone, Rias noticed the smallest of twitches upon muttering that name.

"…We both know you don't mean that," Rias said in a low voice.

"What Hyoudou needs isn't someone to hold his hand," Sona dismissed the comment and pressed forward. "He needs a reality check. In case you haven't noticed, Rias, all of his peers have been walking over him from the very beginning. You shouldn't trust any of them, and that includes Sir Siegfried and Sister Serene—"

"She's not a Saint anymore," Rias muttered.

"—simply because they've performed a few _friendly_ tasks," Sona continued unperturbed with a bit of venom. "He's nothing like the boy I once knew, Rias. He used to be quiet and reserved, afraid to open up to anyone. Still extraordinarily perverted but I think that was more of him expressing his need for attention. He would tell me how much he loathed killing. He would come to me, crying, after one of those outings where he had no choice but to kill. He would blame himself for all of it.

"I don't see that boy anymore," she paused as she looked out the window. "All I see… is one of _them._ "

Rias… really hadn't known Issei for very long. A few months and hardly enough time to get to know the real him. But Sona did. Sona had almost two years under her belt. She knew Issei inside and out. It made Rias jealous.

She couldn't tell if there had been a change to Issei at all. The only significant event that came to mind was the death of his client (whom he decided to call his little sister) Nakashima Ayame. The event marked him as a Predator. She could recall the soulless gaze he had when he climbed out of the catacombs, ready to kill anything without hesitation. But she also recalled his moment of grief.

She also took advantage of that grief for her own gain. Though Issei forgave her and accepted her as a lover, she will always have that stain on her heart. It would forever torment her for abusing her Pawn like that.

For this giant rollercoaster ride of events, Rias didn't see Issei's personality warp in any way. Sure he was never the same after all of these events but he remained the same at the core. He was still a goofball who ogled every pair of breasts that came his way.

But, according to Sona, there was something different about him that was as clear as day.

It bothered Rias how Sona knew what it was while she couldn't make any comparison.

"…I'm not giving up on your two," Rias said eventually.

Sona said nothing else. She continued to stare out the window in silence.

There was a knock on the door. The instigator didn't wait for a reply and entered immediately.

"Kaichou, your appointment is here… early," Shinra Tsubaki entered the Student Council office with a nervous look in her eyes. She gazed at Rias apologetically, being able to read the mood between the two girls.

"That's fine," Sona returned to her professional persona with no trouble. There wasn't a single hint she had been troubled about the conversation with Rias. "Please allow him to enter. Rias, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask for your pardon while I take care of this."

"…Certainly," Rias nodded and rose from her seat.

A pair of individuals entered the room. A man and a… woman? Could she call this humanoid figure a woman? Well, it was certainly designed to resemble a woman but it wasn't of flesh and bone for sure.

Rias likened this thing to a… doll. A large porcelain doll at her height. She was certainly beautiful with her exaggerated features but at the same time appalling because she was clearly not human. Her skin was too smooth, too pale.

…Not to mention the clockwork gears that littered across her body that turned continuously.

The man, on the other hand, was simply captivating. He was tall with copper hair and bronzed skin. And he was handsome beyond description… too handsome, really. There wasn't a single flaw in any of his features and his beauty made her want to read every detail about him.

He was dressed in a leather jacket, some torn jeans, and biker boots. There was a pair of azure sunglasses over his eyes… but his eyes— _those eyes of his!—_ they shone a florescent green that the tint of the shades could not hide. And when he looked her way, he offered a smile baring his teeth.

They shimmered. Those teeth of his. They sparkled like polished white diamonds.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he offered sincerely. By all the great lords of the damned and by the eldritch temptresses of old, _his voice_ was like an orchestra of angels! And not of the Angels up in heaven, either. Beautiful beings beyond all measure belonging to a higher power inconceivable in understanding by these mundane reasoning. _Real_ angels like how they were supposed to have been recorded from the Bible.

Perfection. The one word ran through Rias' mind. This man was perfection personified.

"I got lost around town and a little sidetracked," he went on. "I also ran into an old bud of mine along the way. Ended up chattin' with him for a bit. Exactly how late am I? And did I keep you waiting? Here, I bought some cake as an apology from a local bakery."

There was a box in his hands. A box that hadn't been there before.

Tsubaki cleared her throat.

Rias realized she had been ogling this man, undressing him with her mind. And, unbelievably, Sona had been staring at him just as long. Both their cheeks flushed as they returned to reality.

"Y-You are mistaken," Sona sputtered as she regained her composure. "You are actually here a few minutes ahead of schedule. I wasn't expecting you until later this evening."

The man blinked. It was certainly interesting seeing the light of his eyes go out and then reappear behind those shades. Rias wondered how bright they really shone if he removed them. "Ain't it long past five?"

"…It's hardly past four, Lord Archmage."

"Clockwork!" he spun towards the doll at his side. "You gave me the wrong time!"

"I cannot tell time." Rias nearly jumped when the doll spoke. Her voice was so monotone and had a few pauses between each syllable it was as though each sound was within a timed interval. "I do not know why you keep asking me this."

"But you're a Jinni of the Clockwork family…" the magician groaned. " _Clockwork._ How does a clock not know how to tell time? Well, at least I'm not making a fool of myself. Better to be early than to be late. And here I was worrying over nothing."

He handed the box of cake to Tsubaki while he raised his hand in a friendly, if not more lax, greeting. He spoke aloud, glancing at both Sona and Rias. "Howdy. I am the Lord Archmage of Wales. Name's Richard Royals."

Rias' eyes widened. Richard Royals. It was a name she had heard in passing as a maddened magician who suffered from an identity crisis. But with that madness came a level of genius that was unparalleled. Everything the man made was revolutionary in the magic community.

Issei had managed to gain this man's attention. Richard Royals was the magician who designed the security system around Issei's house.

Richard's smile shifted to something more childish. With a single step, and perhaps with a little help of his magic, he crossed the distance and took Sona's hand in his own. He shook it vigorously.

"At last I finally get to meet _the_ Souna Shitori!" he said with excitement. "Yeah, I know that's not your real name but gimme this liberty, 'kay? That chap Ise _always_ talks about you whenever we met for… business—" he gave a mischievous wink. "I get to see the living legend myself and I am so glad nothing was exaggerated."

"Your flattery is appreciated, Lord Archmage, but it will not gain any favors from me," Sona responded, unmoved by his overzealous charm. She tried to _politely_ pry her hand out of his iron grip.

It was almost funny watching Sona squirm.

"Lord Royals," Rias spoke up. "It is an honor to have a chance to meet you. I simply must thank you for everything you've done for my boyfriend, Hyoudou Issei."

Richard's head swiveled around to look at Rias (while he continued to shake Sona's hand). "No way. Seriously?! And look at you. If you don't mind me being crass, but holy shit are you smokin'! Way to go, Ise. Sorry, what's your name hun?"

He finally let go of Sona to approach her.

"Rias Gremory," she offered her hand this time.

"Gremory… I know that name from somewhere… Sorry but I'm not all too familiar with Devils. To be honest I didn't know you guys were real until recently. My affairs mostly partakes in the material world and… Meh. It's good to meet you. Damn that Ise is a lucky bastard…"

He had rambled but she didn't mind. Their hands clasped and she was ready to have her arm pulled out of her socket. His grip was strong, as unbending as iron. But he didn't shake it so enthusiastically as he had with Sona's.

His eyes had widened slightly, nothing more than a twitch but still noticeable. His smile shifted from charming to… friendly. "Ah, Ise you are certainly a lucky bastard. You both have my congratulations. She's going to be an angel. Wait. I meant… oh you get it."

…Yes, she can confirm some of the rumors pertaining to Richard Royals. There were a few screws missing. She had no idea what he had just mentioned but chalked it off as him being bonkers.

"Thank you, Lord Archmage," Rias was able to pull her hand away without trouble. His smile was breathtaking and she had difficulty keeping a straight face. "It was a pleasure meeting you. If you will please excuse me, I've a peerage to manage."

"Oh yeah, sure," Richard stepped back to let her pass. "But, hey, make sure to take good care of the little punk. And I don't mean that 'cause he's my number one client."

She offered him a smile, gave a courteous nod to everyone, and stepped out of the Student Council office.

She decided against going directly to the Occult Research Club. Instead, she conjured a communications spell that linked immediately to her Queen, Himejima Akeno.

"Akeno, I need a favor from you. Can you manage activities for the evening? There's something I need to take care of. No, it's nothing to worry about. Just something that will take a bit of time. That's all."

In the next instant, she pulled out the silver key that allowed her access to the Hyoudou residence. Though it was used to unlock the door and allow her entrance without dissolving into the great void that protected Issei's home, she had tweaked with it using her Devilry to be used as a catalyst. In easier terms, she could now teleport from almost anywhere to his house so long as she had the key.

*Scene*

"Gremory…" Richard Royals rubbed his fingers against the underside of his chin as he sat across of Sona Sitri. "That name will bother me until the ends of time, I tell ya. Oh, thank you love."

He gave a breathtaking smile as he accepted the tea offered by Tsubaki. His smile swept her away, making her blush fiercely, stutter some programed reply, and step hastily away from his vicinity.

Sona didn't offer to enlighten him to his current puzzle. "Lord Archmage, I am sure you understand why I have agreed to meet with you, correct?"

"I gotta have this recipe," he said instead after taking his first sip. "Ye gods, whatever black magic you Devils used makes Brew's tea taste like crap. Smile! It's a compliment!"

Sona didn't react. She remained passive while calmly sipping on her own tea, awaiting his _appropriate_ response.

"Do you understand I'm a neutral party for a reason?" he asked after his humor had dried out. He kept a smile but this one was more liken to a fox's. "Not to mention what you're asking could be considered treason. Sure, if you ask me to spy on any mage, especially with the things you're offering, I would be more than glad to do so. I could even get you what they read when conducting their business on the porcelain throne.

"But this ain't any regular mage. This is the Dragon Slayer. Let's toss out that he's one of the top brass of the planet— a fist of the Ruler, by the way. He's the Dog of Brittany, the Queen's Knight of Honor. We mages don't have any rules about getting secrets by other mages— most of those things are settled by duels with an overseer of the Magistrate or by our own families in secret. Hell, even the Magistrate officials aren't immune to this. But, really, the Queen's own? That's a delicate situation, especially when ol' Lizzy has nothing to do with the Magistrate."

"I fully understand what I am asking and what it will mean in the end," Sona responded diplomatically. "But it was the Dragon Slayer who wronged me first. He stole something that belongs to me and I want to know where he put it. I'm not asking you to dig into the affairs of Sir Siegfried. I'm asking if you can locate Saji Genshirou. That's all."

Richard waved his hand as he put the cup of tea down on the table between them. "Not that simple. Nowhere near that simple. Yeah, I could scry for your kid. But _Ziggy Stardust_ will know. He's with the kid right now."

"You know where he is?" something sharp slipped out of her tone.

Richard shrugged. "Look, love, I'd _really_ like to help you. I'd do it because you're a friend to Ise— it's why I flew out all this way to meet you in person. Ask me to take on the entirety of the Magistrate and I would do it at the same price you offered _because_ you're Ise's lass—"

Her brow twitched as she gave him an irritated glare.

He put up his hands in defense. "Whoa there. Not trying to imply anything. Just sayin' you two have something special going on. Could be romance, could be kinship, could be blood-mates for all I know. My assumptions are based on his tellings. 'Sides, yeah, he said a lot of good things about ya, but there was always this level of… fear. Said something about you gave lectures from hell or something or another…"

There was an amused chuckle coming from the back of his throat as his eyes slipped into a memory. He dismissed it with a gesture as though it were a temporal novelty and returned his gaze to her. "Ask me anything else and I will be more than happy to provide to you my services. I'll even do it at a discount price for two reasons. Because you mean a lot to Ise, and because I like you."

She let a frown slip. "…I believe a phone call could have sufficed if you were going to decline my request."

"Too impersonal," he shook his head. "Now, just 'cause I say it can't be done doesn't mean I can't present you with other options. Y'know, there are _always_ ways around the system if you know where to look. I should know, I am a fudge muffering _Sorcerer_!"

…Fudge muffering?

Sona fixed her glasses, ignoring his choice of words for the sake of her sanity. "I came to you because I was recommended by you from my sister. Simply because you were acquainted with Predator Hyoudou was coincidence and had nothing to do with my reasoning for requesting your services. The only ones who _can_ fulfill my request would be the Dragon Slayer's peers, his fellow Predators. I would like to avoid that option at all cost."

Richard crossed his arms as he sunk his head to his chest. "Man. To call him 'Hyoudou'. I could feel the ice from your breath all the way over here."

She pretended to have not heard the insult.

"Chase could probably do it for you," he went on, lifting up his head slightly. "Kid's the Knight of Honor to the Crown Princess and Lizzy is all wishy washy for her baby girl. Pretty sure a chain of communications here and there will get the Queen to make her dog heel."

"I _especially_ would like to leave Sir Rolan out of this," she let venom out of her lips without any reservation.

"Then that right there leaves you with just two options… three, technically," Richard leaned forward and lifted two fingers— then three. "First option, you get involved with some of the baddies that hate Ziggy Stardust. Talkin' about the Carol family, the Siegfried-Germanicus family— oh yeah, his own fam hates his guts— Sir Galahad of the Round, and all the other cronies out there who he's messed up real good. It's gonna be some real illegal and downright dirty work. The easiest option, but also the most gritting. I highly recommend against it.

"Option three, you find something that might interest Ziggy and get him to form a contract with him. You're a Devil, and he… eh, _legally_ applies as a magician. The guy _is_ a Lord Archmage but that's only by a technicality. Guy doesn't even know the bare basics of the craft. Still, probably the hardest option because even I don't know what the guy would want. That's assuming you _can_ get him anything with the backing from your sis, Lev."

She waited. Sona was beginning to get annoyed with the antics of this magician. He had intentionally skipped one of the options for her to be curious about— and she was. It didn't help that he had a knowing smile.

"What's the final option?"

"Wanna know why I'm really here?" he asked in an enthusiastic voice. "Don't know how… but you managed to get the one guy's attention that can solve all your problems. This is the only guy who can make the great and mighty _Predators_ to do as he says."

She didn't say anything. Her heart lurched. She had a feeling she knew who he was talking about.

"My good friend sent me here as an envoy. See, there's this big gathering of people around the corner and he needs his _plus one._ I can't answer why he chose you. Least I don't know his reasoning. I at least know how awesome you are. Just saying. He promised to tell you everything about it if you say yes. The payment is to fulfill any one request... so long as it doesn't fudge over the World and its System. And that right there is a mighty fine deal. He's also offering to answer anyof your questions. _Any._

"Sona Sitri, how would you like to make a contract with the Ruler of the World?"

*Scene*

Rias rematerialized at the center of the drawing room of the Hyoudou residence. Originally, anyone who could would teleport either in the basement or in the living room. Issei decided to move some furniture around so people would stop teleporting directly in front of the television or in the clotted darkness below.

Fortunately she spawned at a moment he was home. Alone. She had been aware he had slipped out of the house during her lessons. A slight she would not forget. But one she couldn't condemn him for. She knew Issei was getting agitated having been stuck in his house for so long. Her attempt to keep him bound was doomed to fail.

All of that didn't matter. Nothing mattered at the moment. Her mind was focused on one thing and she would not fail to have it fulfilled. Rias Gremory was on a mission.

As soon as she climbed up the stairs she heard the sudden rummaging and banging coming from Issei's room. He had sensed her arrival and was hastily trying to hide whatever he was doing in his room. With someone as perverted and bored as Issei… there needn't much thought as to what he could have been doing.

"Ise, I'm coming in," she said with a strange mix of sing-song and impatience.

She caught him at the last instance slamming his closet shut with his back pressed against it. Nervous sweat beaded on his brow as he had a goofy smile. "R-Rias. What're you doing home so early? Everything okay?"

Normally, she would have asked what he was hiding. Her eyes glanced over his shoulder in mild curiosity. However, her original purpose for coming here was overriding all else.

"IT'S PORN!" Issei shouted in defense… or self-destruction. "Lots and lots of porn! There's no reason to look inside! None at all! Ah ha… ha… ha…"

She could only stare at him and his _attempt_ to stave off her curiosity. His frantic behavior was at borderline desperation. An itch within her craved to know what he was trying to hide if he was using this as an excuse.

Rias offered a Cheshire's smile and went along with his charade, "Is that so…? Tell me, Ise, which one of those articles were you looking at? If you be a good boy and let me know… I might be willing to play it out for you~"

She licked her lips, similar to how Akeno would have. Her smile grew as she saw him gaping like a fish. Choking noises came from his mouth when his mind had failed to process words together. She watched as his face went from chalk pale in panic to flushed red with excitement.

"Well…?" she purred, sashaying her hips with each step as she approached him. The first two buttons of her uniform were undone as she revealed a glimpse of her cleavage.

It made her heart sway when his eyes snapped towards her treasured bosom. She knew she was the apple of many eyes but it meant something more to her when the man she loved the most looked at her with both lust and passion. Sure, he ogled her and she pretended to have never noticed— sometimes letting him see a little more than he had intended to tease him. But along with that carnal craving came a tenderness and intimacy. Every time their eyes met did she know how much she was loved by him in return.

She didn't wait for his response. Hell, he would be gaping like a moron until the end of time anyways. Rias pressed herself against his chest, sliding her fingers against the coiled muscles along his arms, and brought her lips to his.

The taste and sensation was simply divine.

"Bwah...?" Issei mumbled dumbfounded when she forced herself off of him.

"Ise…" Her smile grew as she brought her hands up to cup his face. She could get lost staring into his eyes alone. "Make love to me. Hurry."

"…Bwah?" he said again, sputtering this time as steam began to pore out of his ears.

Oh by the Four Horsemen…

Rias grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from the closet. The back of her mind noticed the door creaking without him keeping it at bay, but it was ignored. He obeyed her gesture and was led along without any struggle.

She brought him to the bed but didn't let him on it. Instead, she threw herself back and laid on top of the sheets. _God,_ his scent was all over the sheets and it sent tingles running down her spine.

"Come on, Ise," she whined. Her legs curled as her hips moved impatiently. She spread her arms forward so to call out to him. "Hurry. I need you."

His response was to only nod once. All logic had been tossed out the window as he moved mechanically. He moved on top of her, asked if she was sure about this (to which she couldn't help but roll her eyes and answer assurances), and began to play the part as her lover. He had been sloppy at first, and rather stiff from the awkwardness and confusion of the sudden situation, but he had let go of his thoughts and let his body get swept away with the passion.

She could only blame that Richard Royals for this. Guilt plagued her as soon as she met the Archmage. The man was unlike any other— a beauty far too perfect to be something belonging in this realm of existence. She couldn't help but to undress him within her mind in a sudden desire to see what he looked like naked. It was something Issei might do with any girl he spotted. Something she would have forgiven from him.

But it wasn't her cup of tea. _Issei_ was the one she loved and craved for.

It didn't take her long to forget about the Archmage. Her entire being was consumed with Issei.

*Scene*

It was nearly midnight by the time they had decided to stop. Their endurance could have allowed them to last until the dawn, and he would outlast her, but she would be too exhausted to take care of her responsibilities as the overseer of Kuoh. She told them it was enough to satisfy her. He pouted. She promised to approach him again when they had more time, such as during the weekend. And he demanded she kept that promise like a child being offered some reward for being good. She couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

She loved this feeling. This feeling to be desired by the one she loved. The one she _chose_ to love and _chose_ to spend the rest of eternity with.

With the thrill of the moment gone and her hunger satisfied, they laid on his bed cuddling close. She sighed happily when he stroked her hair.

"Rias… is everything okay?" he asked after a needed silence while she caught her breath.

Let it be known even with the heightened stamina of a Devil after sundown could she get worn down after getting a run for her money by a dragon.

She poked his cheek playfully, "Can't your girlfriend want to spend some quality time with her boyfriend every now and then? Honestly, Ise, I hardly get to do anything with you these days. We haven't even gone on a date…"

That much was true. The only one he had gone on a date with was Asia and it made Rias feel jealous. It felt a little shallow on her part that she could claim to have more bedtime action with Issei over Asia. But, the point, Asia had gone on a date with him! How was that fair?!

"S-Sorry…" he looked away, scratching his cheek as his face flushed once more. "It's just… um… it doesn't really feel like we're boyfriend and girlfriend."

"…What's that supposed to mean?"

"N-No! That's not what I meant!" he panicked and tried to reassure her. His nervous smile returned. "What I meant was… I'm having difficulty accepting you as my girlfriend— EEK!"

He flinched when she gave him _the look._

"WAIT! T-That's not— Rias, let me explain!" Now he was sweating bullets. "I… I'm no good at these things. You and Asia are my first real girlfriends and I can't wrap my head around it. Rias, you're _the_ most beautiful woman I've ever known. I used to look at you and dream about one day getting lucky enough to peep on you in the locker rooms. Having you as my girlfriend was something I had accepted to be _way_ beyond my reach.

"But now… here you are. I still can't believe the girl I fell in love with is here… with me… l-like this…"

His explanation had been all over the place and had broken several unspoken rules. It made her love and hate him back and forth. But… his response had been cute. He was flustered with how unsure he was on how to handle her. Issei was inexperienced with the art of seduction, let alone knowing how to _talk_ to a girl. He always spoke his mind and his words were always blunt. He spoke to her as he would with a boy most of the times.

Having that said… her heart fluttered.

She pulled herself forward and pecked his lips. She was swimming in ecstasy knowing how lucky she was to have someone like Issei. He might think he was the fortunate one— and the proud voice in her head told her he _was—_ but it was she who was the one who won the jackpot. She doubted she would ever be able to find a man who could love her as not just a piece of meat.

Case and point: Issei was a Predator, a force of nature that could decimate the planet if he so chose. And yet he had recoiled in fear of her feelings. It meant he cared about her. He didn't simply admire her for her body. He _loved_ her for being Rias Gremory.

"And I love you too, Ise," she spoke softly as she rested her head on the crane of his neck.

They stayed like that for a moment. Their naked bodies melding as one as their heartbeats thumped against the other. Her leg coiled around his with his arm wrapped around her waist. She took in his scent and bathed in his warmth.

She felt something poke her. This moment was…exciting him.

…It wouldn't hurt to at least one more round, wouldn't it? She couldn't argue his words had excited her just as much.

Unfortunately, nothing ever manages to go her way in the end.

Whatever Issei had stuffed into his closet had burdened the doors. The sound of wood and plaster groaning was the only indication something was wrong. She didn't have a chance to react as the doors gave in, slammed down, and let loose what Issei' had tried to hide.

In the next instant, an avalanche of a hundred humanoid figures no bigger than her hand burst out of the small room.

…As well as Sister Serene, who had been forced to ride this storm with her look of utmost acceptance for the carnage she had no control over.

*Scene*

"Oh my~" Akeno said as she picked up another doll and examined it closely. "Is this Ruruko-chan? That's almost everyone in the Student Council now."

"I found me!" Asia cheered as she lifted a small doll with golden felt for hair and green button for eyes. This one was dressed in her dark green nun dress with a matching white veil. "Oh my gosh, it's so cute!"

"Here, Asia," Amelia pulled out a rather large box that contained fabrics within. They were a set of interchangeable clothes. "You can change it into your school uniform if you so wish."

"The attention to detail is almost scary," mumbled Koneko as she began to pick up a few dolls and put them in order. They were specifically her classmates and she lined them up according to their seating order. "Creepy, really."

"Look, look, Xenovia!" Irina bounced on her heels. "I found you! It even has your Excalibur Destruction! Isn't that awesome! Look, it can come on and off with Velcro."

"I think I found yours, Irina," Xenovia lifted one doll that shared some of Irina's characteristics. "But it looks unfinished."

"Ehhhhh?!" the bubbly girl spun at the creator. "Ise-kun! You made a doll of Xenovia with all her gear but you've only made one with just my hair?!"

Issei could only keep his head bowed as he put his fingers together in shame. He was sitting seiza (by his own volition) and muttering things below his breath far too low for anyone else to hear.

Rias had demanded an answer from him after they had managed to dig their way out of the avalanche. He had yet to give any other than to say it was a hobby of his. Any other questions were ignored. She thought nothing about the dolls… though she did raise a brow with how many he had made.

It wasn't until she spotted one peculiar doll among the sea of a hundred. She noticed it specifically for its shade of red hair. And upon pulling it out of the pile did she realize this particular doll was _her._

Another glimpse at the pile and she could recognize a few people here and there. Some students of Kuoh who were dressed in their uniforms. Others consisted of some of the townspeople. There were others she couldn't recognized, probably because they were people she hadn't met.

…That wasn't even the worst of it.

Issei had led her to one of the rooms he had sealed shut. He had never shared it with her why he kept the door barred. She had assumed it was one of those things she wasn't allowed to touch else step over a taboo line. Just like how no one dared to enter his parent's room.

When he opened it, she was… lost.

Whatever this room had originally been had been refurbished in order to tailor to Issei's… _hobby._ Dolls littered shelves lining the walls, some sprawled in piles in the corner of the room, and others on top of work stations. There was a single sewing machine, several racks with rolls of fabrics, utensils and tools, jars of cotton balls and beads, and just about everything in-between required.

She realized this was too much for her to handle alone. She called in for backup.

Rias snuck a glimpse over to Amelia. Naturally, the Divine Beast knew she was being gazed upon and returned the look with one of her own. Rias _really_ wanted to know what she had been doing in the closet. There was a story in there somewhere. Perhaps, in his panic, Issei had flung the former Saint in there?

Her cheeks were burning. It wasn't missed that Amelia had been idly silent in that closet. For hours. While they had sex.

A part of Rias wanted to curl up and hide from the world.

She chose to hide her embarrassment by putting all of her focus in finding the rest of her peerage members' dolls.

"I still don't understand what drove you to create these things," Rias grossed as she examined the next set. They were the members of the tennis club. "It looks like you've made one for every citizen of the city and then some. What possessed you, Ise?"

"Boredom…" was his reply. "It once started as something to pass time. Over there in that drawer are the anime characters I made. Eventually it just led to me making one of every person I've met. Living by myself for three years was really boring. There's only so much my friends and porn could distract me with."

They all cringed and didn't press the subject.

"Papa! Isn't Cali-chan cute?!" Excalibur ran up to her self-proclaimed father and lifted a small plush doll for him to see.

Yuuto's smile didn't shift in the slightest upon seeing her. His attention was redirected towards Issei as he let out a dry chuckle. "Really, Ise-kun? I've known you for how long and you finished… hers before mine?"

He had managed to find his furthest from all else, isolated from its counterparts. There were also a series of pins poking out all over its body. Precisely in areas where they would have been lethal had it been real. But, surely, it was a coincidence.

Issei could only glare at the blonde handsome with righteous fury. His stare beamed at Yuuto in hopes lasers would flare out of his eyes and burn into his scalp. He was also hoping some sort of black magic would activate and have what he attempted on the doll become actual.

"Someone help me look for So-tan already!" commanded the great and almighty Leviathan. "She's here somewhere! I can smell her!"

Dolls were tossed around as she leapt into a giant pile of dolls. So deep was this pile was her entire body hidden. After a moment, a hand shot up. It wasn't Sona who she held but a frilly doll in likeness to herself.

"I found me! So-tan must be close! We're inseparable! Don't worry, So-tan, your onee-sama will find you and I'll be able to do yuri-yuri moe things!"

The sound of laughter belonging to a perverted old man echoed out of the pile.

"…I don't know how to react to this," Amelia said after she had sought out her targets and brought them together. Who would have thought the locater perk of a Predator worked for things like this as well? Now, if only it worked on things like car keys…

She could only find three of them. The others didn't exist, much to her ire. But, then again, the odds of Issei knowing what the remaining few looked like were skim… plus one of them she knew Issei would _never_ make no matter what.

The three dolls she found were Predators. There was Ludwig (with his cane included), Amelia in her nun attire, and Rolan with his trademark scowl.

…He had managed to cut the buttons in half and stitch them on in such a way that made it look like the doll was scowling. She didn't know whether to hug it for looking damnably adorable or for inflicting it with a _burning at the stake_ sin for resembling Rolan.

She could not locate a doll for Lolifor, Philips, Xi'Long, or the former Vampire. For obvious reasons.

"Oh dear… this is certainly something…" mused Akeno as she found her doll at last. "Ise-kun, you naughty boy. How did you know I hardly wear any underwear?"

"Grryuugh?!" came out of Issei's mouth as he lost all motor function. His head had swiveled around fast enough to make his eyes bobble.

As soon as she said these words, everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing, found their comparisons, and checked underneath their skirts.

"Disgusting," Koneko declared with a sharp tone that made Issei flinch.

Excalibur shivered and hid herself behind Yuuto. "H-How did you know Cali-chan wears stripes?!"

"…I just bought this pair the other day," spoke Rias as she undid the buttons of her doll's blouse and, come to her surprise, had found a knitted set of a miniature brassiere over its chest.

"I-Ise-kun… if you wanted to see you should have asked," cried Irina as she clutched her doll closely. Hers had been the only one without fabric, having been unfinished.

The room became silent as something dark and sinister permeated the area. It was as though all life had been sucked out. There was no warmth. Only the cold dampness of death.

"Master," Amelia lifted her replica back down to one of the stations. Her face was peace itself. Nothing could disturb her as the lovely beauty within her eyes put all matters aside.

But there was something wrong with this tranquility. There was neither good nor evil in this stillness. It was a void. This peace was something **dark**.

"How did you know today's color was pink?" she asked in such an innocent voice and with such an impossibly beautiful face she may as well have been an Angel.

There was a funny story there. In actuality, Issei had no idea what sort of underwear Amelia wore. Any chance he had to spy on her was doomed to fail before the idea could finish to process in his mind. She was a fellow Predator and would know immediately of his intentions. There was no getting around it.

Really, he had used her doll as a sort of fantasy. A giant 'what if'. Every now and then he would switch out her undergarments. But the idea was droll and he ended up discarding the fantasy, leaving the last pair as a matching pink cotton panties and bra combo.

…Apparently it wasthe underwear she wore.

Amelia did not know this. Nor could Issei find the courage to explain any of this to her.

"Knock, knock," came a voice at the entrance of the room. "Home invasion."

Everyone spun at the unrecognizable voice. There, standing at the doorway with an amused smirk spreading his lips and knuckles rasping against the doorframe, was the Archmage Richard Royals. And standing behind him in his shadow was the same humanoid girl forged out of porcelain and cogs.

Immediately, everyone went on edge. This included Rias and Amelia.

"How did you get in here?" Issei asked. He slowly stood from his position and went to the front of the room.

"Dude, I was banging on the door forever," the Archmage answered as he entered the room, being careful to not trip over anything. "No one answered with all the noise going on. So I let myself in."

"…I asked you to build something that kept everyone out."

"I did tell you nothing is fool-proof. It's _my_ system by the way. Traversing the space between spaces without an anchor is still pretty hard, just saying. Not impossible."

They were inches apart from the other. Issei stood tall with his body tense, ready to defend his territory and protect those he loved at a single trigger. Amelia remained still, though her fingers had spread out with a dark mist forming at her palms.

"Ye gods have you grown!" Richard Royals' smile beamed brightly as he threw his arm around Issei's neck and pulled him in close. He rubbed his knuckles against his scalp. "Hasn't been a half-year and look at ya! Can't call you kid no more, yeah?"

"Hello Richard-san," Issei sighed and let the man perform his greetings. "You should have called me if you were going to show up. What's with the home visit anyways? Usually I'm the one who goes to you."

Heads turned to another in confusion. Gradually, the tension dropped while everyone observed the strange exchange between the two.

"Again with the phone!" Richard groaned and waved his hand around… but refused to release Issei out of his grip. "You teenagers and your tech. You've no idea how hard it was for me back in my day. Whatever. Hey, get this."

He readjusted himself so that they were facing the rest of the group. But Richard pointed out Rias above all else.

"Met this little lady earlier today," the Archmage pressed his face close to Issei and spoke in a whisper… but still loud enough for the whole room to hear. "Know what she said to me? Said she was your girl. Can you believe it? Really, who'da thunk the timid super perv of a boy could'a snatched such a dazzling temptress? The world's coming to an end, I tell ya."

"I'm Ise's girlfriend too!" shouted Asia, who then began to burn brightly after making such a bold declaration.

Richard's piercing neon green eyes shifted immediately over towards Asia. He blinked, extinguishing the light in his eyes for a single instant.

He squeezed Issei a little tighter. "If Guardians ever show up… you don't know me. 'Cause I think you used some Abyss-works here. One beauty I might be able to accept. But to shag a Saint as well? The harem ending is only a myth, you know."

"…I have no idea what you just said," Issei rambled. "But h-hey! I'm just as surprised as you are!"

"Don't worry about it. 'Sides, those Guardians abandoned us before the World was even built."

"Who is this creep?" Koneko spoke aloud.

"Koneko!" Rias gasped.

"What?" the white-haired Rook glimpsed over to her King. "Anyone this close to the perv has have caught his disease."

"Nah, love," Richard waved her off. "I've loved the ladies since before this punk could walk. Which reminds me. Nekomata? That's pretty savvy. Gimme a call when you hit eighteen, yeah?"

She glared daggers at him… but the compliment still made her cheeks flush. The wink from him didn't help either. Despite his personality, it was undeniable this man was the best looking individual anyone in the room had ever seen before. It was as if he had stepped out of her wet dream last night.

…Except her dreams have been featuring Issei. But that was beside the point.

"Everyone," Issei scratched his head while he slouched awkwardly under Richard's arm. "This is the guy who made the security system and the keys I gave you. He's a magician from the British Isles who's helped me out a lot over the years. Royals Richard-san."

"Suuuuuup," the Lord Archmage greeted with another wave and a winning smile. "Pleasure to meet you lovelies. And singular bro included. How's it hangin'?"

Though Issei had introduced him with Richard not being bothered by the… casual doctrine, Rias decided to give the man the credit he rightfully deserves. "Everyone, this is the Lord Archmage residing over the territory of Wales."

Gasps and awes were shared.

"…Howdy," Richard offered another welcome after his second introduction.

"Richard Royals…" Amelia crossed her arms as her eyes swept up the Archmage. "I've heard of you from Chase and Ludwig… as well as from Charity."

"No way, you know the misses?" Richard's smile shifted to a nervous one. "Eh… please ignore my earlier comment to the little one right there. But… to speak about those other two so freely… sorry love. Who are you?"

"Third," was her single answer.

His smile was frozen on his face. He knew immediately what she meant.

"Hey, uh, Richard-san," Issei managed to use this instant to slip out of the man's reach. "Really. What are you doing here?"

"R-Right…" the Archmage came back alive as he stood straight and began to pat along his jacket. "Had to do a quick job around here so I figured I'd pay you a visit and see how things are going. Lost contact with you for a bit there. Heard what's going on though, so no need to share. Got a new patron that wanted me to— ah! There you are."

…He pulled nothing out of his pockets. He simply extended his hand to Issei and a rectangular box appeared in his palms.

Issei took it, opened it with a weary expression, and examined its contents. The first was a boring pair of glasses. The other… was a package receipt.

His eyes flashed wide as he realized something. He took the glasses out and lifted them over his eyes without putting them on. "N-No way. A-A-Are these what I think they are?!"

"Fudge yeah they are," Richard responded with a serious expression. "Was digging around that guy Douglas' things and found your previous order. Couldn't find whether you paid for it or not so I figured I'd do this free of charge. Under the lining there are also a pair of contacts. 'Cause, you know, glasses are _totally_ inconspicuous."

"Oooooowaaaaaaaaaaah!" Issei roared as soon as he put them on. His head spun around, looking at each and every girl for a brief instant. His eyes glazed over as drool dripped out of his mouth.

…It wasn't missed how he wouldn't _dare_ to look at Amelia.

"I don't like that look…" Irina said as she hid behind Xenovia.

Akeno was the first to realize what he was seeing. She winked at him and struck a pose. It made blood ooze out of his nose.

"Don't look at me like that, pervert," Koneko snapped as she brought her arms around to cover her chest and crotch.

"…Honestly, Ise," sighed Rias as she pried the glasses off his face.

"R-Rias! Give them back!" Issei fell to his knees with an arm extended to reach for the pair. But it was too far away for him. "M-My power… I feel so weak without them…"

"Not cool, love," Richard came to the defense of his client. "They're harmless. No need to be so distrustful. Go ahead and try them on yourself."

Rias eyed the Archmage suspiciously… but did as he suggested. Her brows came together in confusion as a series of numbers and a graph appeared across her vision as she examined Richard. Her eyes swept around the room, taking in everyone else within it. More numbers appeared around them.

"…A scouter?" Rias asked.

"What bro doesn't get a hard one for Dragonball?" was the Archmage's answer. "Couldn't get a single lens to do it all. You need both eyes to get it to work, hence why I made contacts as well."

It was the biggest lie of the century. Richard Royals was no amateur in his works. He was the best in whatever he did… provided he had the attention for it. He knew his client very well and how he would react to the product. He also knew what sort of shenanigans he would get into with this product. Every variable was considered. So he made it gender-encoded. Men would see one thing while the women would see something else.

But, really, they were made as lenses that could see any woman naked. There was also a feature woven in the magic to be able to see them in their underwear... among other risqué cosplay.

"Amazing, Royals-sama!" cheered Issei with tears cascading down his face.

"Your tears, I accept them as homage to this higher being," Richard lifted his head with a smug smile spreading his lips.

"Wait a minute…" his praise suddenly shifted over to suspicion as he narrowed his eyes. "Royals-san… why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?"

"Oh… just… scouting…" the Archmage responded while avoiding eye contact with the Dragoon Predator.

"You made a scouter for yourself?!" bellowed Issei in outrage. "Don't you dare check out the power levels of anyone here!"

"…You're not fooling anyone," Koneko snapped.

"Um… what are they talking about?" Asia raised her hand and asked aloud for anyone to answer.

"Oooh, that reminds me of when we were kids and would watch Dragonball and then act it out in the park with all the other kids," chippered Irina. "Right, Ise-kun? You remember… _right_? Please remember me already…"

"Hmm… I wonder what my _power level_ is…" pondered Yuuto. He, like most of the others who knew about Issei's antics, really knew what he was hiding. There was a bit of curiosity coursing through him anyways to see how 'strong' he was compared to the other girls. Of course, he'd have to use that ray gun again to change his gender.

"Dragoon-chan!" cried out the voice of Serafall Leviathan from within the mound of dolls she had been mining through. She pulled herself out and took a deep breath of clean air. She had a hard hat on with a light fixated at the brow. Dirt and soot coated her cheeks.

…She pulled out a pickaxe from the pile and let it rest against another station.

Serafall pattered herself down to remove what dust she could before pouting at Issei. "I couldn't find my So-tan anywhere! I know she's here! I demand to know— oh, hello. You're the Archmagus of Wales, right?"

"I-It's over nine thousand…" Richard gasped as soon as he saw Serafall.

"R-Rias! I need those glasses! Quick!" Issei tried to get the pair back from his King.

She could only give him a blunt stare and keep them away from him. The Archmage may have been clever, but none of the girls were stupid. It was a given there was something perverted coming from the glasses that only Issei and Richard could see. Her duty as a Devil demanded she protect the modesty of her Maou.

Serafall tittered forward, leaned her body forward and looked up at the Archmage through an innocent gaze. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Serafall Leviathan, one of the Yodaime Maou of the Devil civilization."

"Serafall Leviathan…" Richard's smile shifted as he tasted the name like wine. "You're Chase's current favorite… He's always ranting on and on about you. You know how kids are— they pick on the ones they like the most. It's nice to meet the living legend herself. But, shit, the kid has some hoarding problem. Claiming you and Sona together—"

"T-T-T-That name…"

Heads turned and stared in utter perplexity. Issei was huddled in one corner of the room, locked in the fetal position, and rocking himself as he cradled something tight in his arms. He sobbed quietly and his brooding altered the shading in the one corner to appear darker than it should have been.

"Don't mention that naaaaaaaaaaaaaame!" he sobbed and clutched the replication of Sona in his arms.

…Least the mystery of where the Sona doll was hidden was solved.

*Scene*

"Sorry I stormed the place without warning," Richard said as he made himself comfortable on the loveseat opposite to the couch and his hosts. The Jinni, Clockwork, stood dutifully at his side as still as a statue. "It was pretty important I see you in person this time around."

It was nearing two in the morning. The excitement for the evening had dispersed and nearly everyone had retired for the night. But Richard lingered, claiming he would have liked to 'catch up' with Issei. There was a tone in his voice that suggested something else. It hadn't been missed by Serafall as she _insisted_ to get to know the Archmage in the meantime.

Some had refused to leave Issei's side, such as Rias and Asia. Rias because she was clever enough to notice what was going on and Asia because— bless her heart— wanted to get acquainted with someone Issei trusted dearly. But, with a few words and some suggestive charms by his magic, Richard had convinced all else to leave them be for the evening.

…Except for Amelia. She brushed off his magic. Literally. She performed a gesture one would dust off debris off their shoulder and his spell crumbled apart.

He had no choice but to let her in on this meeting as well.

"I thought as much," Issei's tone was friendly towards Richard but lined with seriousness. "This is a first, though. I don't know what to expect."

Issei also didn't like the Lord Archmage. It had nothing to do with the man's personality— _that_ he liked and could bond with him. It was the man's presence alone that he didn't like. When he first met Richard Royals his name had been Donald Douglas. Donald was a timid man who was frightened of his own shadow, apologized for any slight he performed no matter how small, and looked ready to cry whenever he had to deal with human interaction.

But, one day, Donald snapped. He presented himself as Godking Dalang, declared Issei an invader to his home (when they had been having tea and sandwiches at the time), and tried to strike him down. The match had only lasted thirty seconds before the Archmage collapsed abruptly. Still… Issei had nearly lost his life. The power Donald had displayed was… atrocious.

…And then he became Richard Royals. This eccentric playboy who aspired to be a rock star (and failed repeatedly). The exact opposite of Donald Douglas.

All of that had been before Issei was accepted as a true Predator. He had known the man before he had acquired the Predator's mindset and all their perks delivered by the Ruler.

Upon listening to his presence awareness… Richard Royals frightened him further.

The World was telling him there was no possible way he would be able to kill Richard. And he would die if he did not give it his all should they ever brawl. Their match wouldn't end in mutual destruction… it would simply end in a tie with no one winning or losing.

Richard was his equal, according to the World. And yet… this man _wasn't_ a Predator.

He glimpsed over to Amelia. She looked back at him. Their eyes shared the same concerns. If the two of them were to take him on together, for any reason at all, the result would still be the same. Together, _two_ Predators with all their powers influenced by the World, wouldn't be able to kill him.

It baffled him. But Richards was a good friend. Issei couldn't suddenly ask the guy something like that. It would have been too rude.

"Congratulations are in order," Richard began with a delighted smile. "Not just talking about those lovely ladies you managed to snatch. Word on the street is you've become a Demon Lord. Don't know much about you Devils but I'm pretty sure that's a big deal."

"Not quite yet," Serafall chimed in. "Dragoon-chan has to get the approval from the other Maous before he gets all the benefits and responsibilities that go with the office."

"Which brings me to the point of my being here," Richard wiggled a finger at her. "But I'll get to that soon enough. Ise, there's more. Chase is pretty pissed you managed to do something he couldn't. You managed to get Serene of Finland out of the Church. Fudge man, no Living Saint has ever been able to break free from the Church's grasp."

"I am most grateful for my Master's selfless sacrifice," Amelia spoke up from her spot beside Issei. The smallest of smiles graced her features. "You know as well as I do, Lord Archmage, this trick of mine would not have worked under normal circumstances."

Issei tilted his head towards her, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I was wondering why that sweetheart wasn't a box of cinders," Richard tapped a finger on the armrest, gaining a look from Amelia that made his hand grow cold and pale. He stopped immediately. "Living Saints aren't compatible with Evil Pieces, you know that? Devils have tried forever tempting them to betray their God. When the Pieces were made, the Devils found a way to bind them through force. But it always resulted in their death."

Issei's mouth hung open. He needed a moment to figure out what was the right question to ask in this instance.

"Asia was not a fully-awakened Saint, Master," Amelia responded. "Had she been then the resurrection would have failed and burned her soul to nothingness. I am alive because I am unlike any of the other Saints. I am born with Creyroux and host every sin imaginable within my being."

He let the information soak in his head. It would have been nice to know something like this many times before. Such as when Asia was flung his way from Italy. Or when Amelia told him the truth to what Asia was. There was nothing he could do about it and there was no point getting upset. What's done is done.

"But she _is_ an awakened Saint," Richard pointed out. "Least now she is. And she's a Devil. What a seriously interesting way of using Synthesis. You gave her some grace while she was a Devil— but not just any grace. You gave her some grace from your Creyroux. Man, what a way to mix holy and demonic signatures together!"

Issei saw Serafall blink with recognition. She knew what he was talking about. And so too did Amelia, at least based off what he could gather. It was still hard to tell her reactions because she only had _one_ expression the entire time. He made a note to inquire about these things later.

"There's one last thing I need to congratulate you for," Richard's voice became somber as he leaned forward. With his head bowed, his eyes could be seen over his shades. They locked directly at Issei's. "You did it. Earlier than you anticipated too. You put a lot of souls to peace, Ise, and the world is a much better place.

"Congratulations on defeating the Vampire, and for ascending as Seventh Predator."

Issei didn't move. He didn't breathe. He couldn't focus on Richard as his mind swam back to the memory of the battle with the Face Stealing Monster.

He didn't know how much time had lapsed. It was only because as the constant awareness from being a Predator that brought him back out to reality. Amelia had placed a hand over his and sent a small jolt of pain his way. Just enough for his senses to flare and make him focus.

He was thankful for it. He had nearly slipped into a dark place he never wanted to remember.

"Now we come to the hard part…" Richard rummaged his hand through his hair. "Want the news or want to know my reason for being here first?"

"I already know everyone blames me," Issei breathed out. "I know everyone around me has been trying to hide it… but it's kinda hard to not notice the millions of threats directed at me."

"It's more than just that," Richard leaned on his knuckles as his fingers rubbed against his jawline. "Make a big enough splash and you're gonna make ripples. That sort of deal."

"…The death of the Vampire has been a blessing to us," Serafall spoke up in a formal tone that sounded strange when coming from her. "His existence going out meant the oppression from both God and the Earth Mother has gone with him. The Devils have been celebrating— most of them unaware of the reasons but have gained the sudden impulse to indulge their selves in debauch pleasures.

"However, Heaven is suffering the most. They have lost nearly all of their influence over the world and you can almost see it crumble away. Within the next decade their eons of ruling will collapse. The Angels know this. It's making them desperate."

"There's also Chase's crusade," Amelia spoke up. "He's killed enough members of the Church to warrant the attention of the mundane populace. The Gathering of Heaven and their branches were the first to be removed. The Saints have been scattered and all of the armed factions have been defanged. It's only a matter of time before the remainder of them are hunted down. Without their most faithful of servants, Heaven will surely react and give some sort of retaliation."

"The misses said the same thing," Richard spoke softly. "Didn't know it was Chase doing the purging though. Charity just thought… forget it. Point, Heaven is weak right now. Extremely weak. So I heard this big ol' Fallen was captured by a Saint a while back. Mean guy by the name of Kokabiel. Know of him?"

"…Yeah," Issei responded with a nod… after a bit of time trying to remember why that name sounded so familiar. Kokabiel was a Fallen Angel who was in charge of the renewed Holy Sword Project— the act that had Kiba Yuuto kidnapped, tortured, and had his Sacred Gear extracted. Issei crushed Kokabiel and his forces. But instead of killing him… he chose to let the Living Saint Virtue capture him.

"Someone broke into the Third Ring and got him out," Richard explained. "Two guys from what I gathered. _Human_ guys, at that."

Serafall countered, "Humans can't enter Heaven's territory. It's impossible. They have to be of spiritual essence or unbound to the earth."

"Or conceptual," Richard remarked.

His response had made Serafall blink with recognition. She growled in a low voice, "…Was it Rolan who did this?"

Issei's brows furrowed, unsure on how she came to that conclusion.

"No," answered Richard. "But, yeah, they were Acolytes. That much is true. There ain't many out there who have mastered their affinities to reach the conceptual level. Get this. A few weeks back there was a similar break-in in the Observatory's Well. The Bottom, to be exact. Now, down there, the Nightmares are so dark that no magic will work. Not just Acolytes. Even an archfiend like you can't do fudge nothing down there.

"Just like in Heaven. The Third Ring hosts one of the greatest prisons. All time is stopped in there so the prisoners are suspended—"

"I know about Cocytus," Serafall responded impatiently.

…Meanwhile, Issei had no idea what they were talking about at this point.

Richard looked his way, saw his confused expression, and decided to explain better. "We're saying the guy who broke into the Bottom of the Well shouldn't have been able to do anything. Same with Cocytus. They're two of the strongest prisons on this planet. But, see, one guy was said to have broken in, did a number on the Warden, and get only one inmate out of there. That was a good week before Kokabiel's escape. And that mission had _two_ assaulters."

Issei's brows furrowed as he demanded the World to search for Kokabiel. His mind swept through the planet…

And found nothing.

"…He's with the enemy," he announced.

He was with _those_ people. The ones Ludwig had warned him about, whose only interest was bringing about the Evensong before its intended time. They were the enemies of the Predators who had managed to find a way to hide their selves against the World's vision. There was no way of finding them else they would have been dealt with already.

"How did you come across this information?" Amelia asked.

"It's kinda hard to not notice when the Observers panic," Richard shrugged. "The last thing to rattle their cage was Chase and look what that did."

"Ah, I see," Amelia nodded in perfect understanding.

There was a story in that. One Issei was curious about but not enough to ask about.

"We've been trying to keep an eye on Heaven," Serafall spoke up. "Other similar problems have risen and it's making them frantic. I'm surprised they haven't approached us. But it also worries me. Usually it means they're planning something and are keeping things in the dark until the very last moment."

"Expect them to come straight for you, Ise," Richard said with a solid tone. "You took their Divine Beast, essentially their greatest fighting force. For all the good they preach, don't be mistaken into believing Heaven won't try underhanded tactics to get her back. God had done some seriously messed up stuff back in the old days in the name of 'good'."

"I always have my eyes open," Issei answered with a nod.

"That Predator's awareness only works for _you_ ," Richard jabbed a finger at him. "Ain't got nothing for anything else around you. Doesn't let you know if someone you care about is in danger. The World doesn't consider their loss to be a threat against your life."

…He knew. He knew this better than anyone. How many times had the ones he loved been put in danger because of him? And because he hadn't been around to protect him? And because the World didn't tell him they were in danger?

"For now, Rolan is drawing away most of their attention," Serafall interjected. "Heaven is gathering their forces and have already deployed emergency troops to counteract his own forces. I've heard they've engaged with the Fae. It means, though he's a Reincarnated Devil, he's facing them as King Oberon. But that smokescreen tactic won't work for very wrong. Royals-san is right. Heaven will eventually try everything they can to retrieve their Saint Serene. She was the only thing that kept Chase from doing what he's doing now…"

"If it comes to that…" Amelia spoke up with an edge in her voice. "I will mark myself a Stray and face Heaven myself. Even if it means I am to go against my oath, I will not become a burden to my Master and endanger those he cares for."

"No way," Issei argued. "Amy, I won't let you leave my side. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed for you to be my Queen. I can't be a King if I can't protect any of my Pieces, can I?"

"It's not me you need to worry about protecting, Master," Amelia chided him with.

"That brings me to one such variable," Richard spoke up. He leaned back in the seat and crossed his legs. "A guard dog. We magicians have a bunch of these. Most of them are the homunculi we breed. The ones I use are the Djinn that freeload around my lands, like Clockwork here. I'm talking about familiars— creatures you make a pact with that will serve you indefinitely."

"Devils have the same system as you magicians," Serafall explained. "As it so happens I was trying to make an appointment with the Familiar Master for Dragoon-chan. But I was thinking of something that will more so help him with his duties as a Demon Lord. I can't think of anything that can wage war against Heaven and deal with politics at the same time."

"There are a lot of creatures like that, Lady Leviathan," Richard responded with a toothy smile. "You would happen to be one of them. The one I have been recommended by my new employer is much more ideal. He's also set up an appointment to have the Familiar Master escort Ise whenever he is ready."

She blanched at this. "W-What?! Even I couldn't get Satouji-chan to make room this early!"

Richard eyed Issei for a moment, examining him in a sharp gaze. Issei didn't know what he was searching for or for what reason. It was impossible to tell what went on in the madman's mind.

"I know about your upcoming duel with Chase," Richard began. "My employer is _very_ interested in the outcome. More than ever after he saw you kill the Vampire. He came to me immediately after that and gave me a series of assignments. I, he, and a few others have been very busy lately. Consider us your sponsors and we are here to support you."

"Is that why you're here?" Issei asked.

"Yes," Richard answered without hesitation. "As well as to give you a gift to help you against whatever Chase will be throwing against you. I've known the kid for a long time. Sometimes I have… dreams. I dream of another me knowing him. I've seen what he can do. And I've seen the people he hangs around with. They are just as terrifying as he is. Some don't belong in this world. Others aren't even in this world. He's gonna gather all of them to take you down."

She had been forgotten, having standing still and silent this entire time. But when Richard extended his hand towards her, she moved. The cogs running down her arms spun. Two slits appeared on her forearms— two separate secret compartments. In each of them was a rectangular box. Richard pulled them out, stood from his seat, and placed them on the small table between both parties.

He didn't say a word. His stare to Issei told everything.

Issei grabbed the nearest one, slid it closer towards him, and undid the latch that bound the lid shut.

It was Serafall who gasped.

Within the first compartment was a set of eight pawn pieces. They were crude, jagged, and had a rough surface. When he ran his fingers across one of them… the piece _moved._ It flexed upon his touch and was warm. He could feel it twitch beneath his fingertips. The material of choice was something strikingly similar to his draconian skin. This felt more… organic.

The other box contained the rest of the pieces found in a traditional chess set. All of which had the same savage feeling as the ones before.

There was something within them that made his being resonate with them. Especially when he picked up the King Piece and brought it up to his eyes. When bringing it up to the light, he could almost see through it with how it shifted into a redish hue… in such a way light would pierce through flesh.

"You… What is this…?" Serafall demanded in a low and dangerous voice.

Richard took his seat but leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees. He didn't answer her. He instead watched Issei as the boy continued to examine each individual piece.

"…I have to ask the same question," he said eventually, sealing both boxes shut.

"I was given three things to work with," Richard began. "The first were a few stolen reports. One belonging to Ajuka Beelzebub— the creator of the Evil Pieces— and the remainder from Chase, who had been trying to make his own Evil Pieces. The second… was the coding for the Predator system itself."

Issei's body stiffened.

"And the third," Richard continued to count off, "was this little Rule called Synthesis that allowed me to bake these two things together."

"…You didn't," Serafall was aghast.

There was even something dark in Amelia's tone, "Have you any idea what will happen if Chase finds out about these things?"

Richard ignored them both. His eyes remained locked on Issei as though he were the only being in the room. "Ise, they are called Predator Pieces. And they have been tuned to _only_ work on you. They come with two features. The first, as the name implies, is to grant whoever you give these two to hear the whispers of the World. They—"

"No," Issei stood suddenly. He was shaking. "D-Destroy them. _Now!_ "

"Ise, you need to listen to me first," Richard tried to press on.

"I don't want to hear it!" his rage was slipping out. The craving to draw blood was barely maintained only by the awareness of his surroundings. If he lost control now would Rias and Asia be swept up. "You don't know what it's like. I don't want _anyone_ to have this curse! It's driving me mad and I've fucked up already because of it! You need to destroy these things, Richard!"

"I _do_ know what it's like," Richard tried. "I studied the system thoroughly and know what you're going on about. That whole bit about how the World will fiddle with your QIC and make your psychosis freeze. Whatever you felt when you were anointed as a Predator is forever repeated no matter what you're doing. _I know._ There are a lot of things I removed."

"That doesn't make me feel any better, Richard-san," Issei growled. But he sat down. "I already have Evil Pieces. I'm still waiting on another set too once they're done. I don't need these."

"Ise, if you want those girls to stand a chance against Chase then—"

"They're not going to be in the Rating Game," he cut him off.

Richard paused, surprised at this sort of information. He hadn't predicted it. In another blink, his fortitude returned and he tried again, "Whatever you do with them is your decision. Will you at least hear me out and then decide after that?"

"…I'll listen," Issei said begrudgingly, only out of respect for the Archmage. "But there's nothing you have to say that will make me change my mind."

"A'ight," Richard rubbed his chin. "Best I can ask for. First thing, I removed that toxic way of thinking. The one that leaves you as a machine with one emotion and the innate desire to kill. But I left in the communications relay to the World. The World will relay messages and alert them of their surroundings, if they are in danger, how to find certain targets, the most efficient method of getting things done— that whole bit. However, they don't have the World's backing. Meaning they don't get a boost in power in times of crisis like you guys do."

…Issei didn't know about that feature. Then again, the World had never been in trouble since he had been a Predator. He glanced over to Amelia, who nodded to confirm this bit of information. She had been through one such crisis, after all.

"What's the second feature?" he asked next.

"That would be you," Richard answered, gesturing at Issei. "Just as how the Evil Pieces have been made from Devilry, I made the Predator Pieces out of draconian synergy. Think like this— just as how Evil Pieces make any corporeal being into a Devil, the Predator Pieces will make them in… _likeness_ to the Dragons. Not as extreme as you, since you're a special case, and they'll retain all of their outer appearance.

"I couldn't fit individual perks between each Piece— there wasn't enough room to program that in there," he shrugged. "But I did give different output levels varying each Piece. Follows the same value as the Evil Piece system. The higher the rank the more power the Piece will provide. To be blunt, all it does is give the person an enhanced physique."

"…Is that why you said only I can use them?" Issei asked. "You didn't use my blood or something like that, did you?"

Richard looked away in thought. "You know… I'm not too sure. My boss just sent me a sample and told me to 'use that'. I think he did it because even he doesn't trust Chase. Or anyone else for that matter. The guy is super paranoid. I don't know where or how he got a sample of Dragon material."

"Who is this person?" Serafall asked. She was fuming and wanted the Predator Pieces destroyed just as much as Issei. "Choose your answer wisely, magician. Understand you just confessed to have been aware of stolen government secrets."

"Sorry," Richard shrugged. "There ain't no jurisdiction that can make me do anything. I kinda have the immunity to do whatever I want right now."

Her eyes narrowed as her demonic aura leaked out into the room.

Richard frowned, the first time his smile had ever slipped. "I guess if you must know…"

It was Issei who answered instead.

"He's talking about the Ruler of the World."

*Scene*

 _ **The Ruler and its World.**_

 __The Ruler is he who creates the World. At the same time, a Ruler cannot come into existence without a World to be born in.

The World is more than just one singular planet. It is the conglomerate nexus that defines the entire universe in which a single story takes place. The World is a system that runs a sequence of codes, like a processor, that runs a nearly infinite number of applications simultaneously. The World is what makes progress move forward. It analyzes, registers, and processes information while activating the appropriate responses needed. The World is a grand weave of a chain of events ranging from the atomic interactions of quarks to the ever-growing expansion of the universe.

No World is the same as another. There are an infinite number of them residing within the omniverse. Some are as contrast as black and white while others are so strikingly similar with the exception of a singular, insignificant difference.

It is the Rulers who governs the difference between each Worlds. But no Ruler starts off as one. They are born within the World of another Ruler before them as natural denizens. However, come one day, these beings may disagree with how their World is run and wish to change _something._ The idea alone is strong enough to create a World of their own. By doing this, a Ruler may create Rules— a lesser form of Laws— to dictate their World's system.

But a World created through this method is classified as [Fake]. A [True] World does not need a Ruler to make decisions for it. [Fake] Worlds do not exist, either. No matter how much noise they make, a [Fake] World can never affect the affairs pertaining to the omniverse.

Because anything created by a Ruler, by a _Dreamer_ , is nothing more than a Dream.


	3. Angels in the Outfield

**AN: No, Great Red is not the Ruler of the World. Though I do understand your confusion due to the previous chapter's trivia.**

* * *

"Come on, Ise," Rias whined as she pulled his hand. "The movie's about to start."

It felt like a whole month before Sunday had arrived. Both Issei and Rias had been anxious for this day. There was no school to keep them apart and it was a day of rest. No Devil worked on the Lord's Day (save those archaic families who did it out of pure spite for the Heavenly Father). Things have settled down just enough for her to take a break.

In other words, she could _finally_ have her first date with her boyfriend.

But with that excitement came fear. Oh, she was nervous getting this chance to spend time with the man she loved and attempt to impress him with her womanly charm… even when that was second nature to her and he was easily impressed. What she truly feared was his exposure to the outside world. There was no way she could have kept him bound to the house— and had been fortunate to keep him locked up for this long. Issei had been growing restless these past few days and the trip to the beach had made him more impatient rather than satisfied.

There was nothing she could do to hide the construction working on the skyscrapers in the further reaches of the city. No amount of Devilry could hide that.

She also couldn't stop the people from talking. It was impossible to avoid them, especially when their date was mostly in the entertainment district. She thought she could distract Issei with a movie, a trip to the manga café, and maybe a few hours at the local arcade. The idea was simple… but difficult in execution.

Weeks after the Red Storm and still people talked about the horrors of it.

Such as one teenage couple who were talking beside them. Their words had gotten Issei's attention and he was listening to them deliberately.

She gave him another tug, this time dragging him away from those two. She didn't want him to hear any of this. There was a reason why she blacked out all interaction with the outside world from him for so long.

"H-Hey…" Issei stumbled to catch his footing. Something that was more liken to a suddenly hastened walk than a slight loss of balance. She never seen him lose his balance before. "Why the rush, Rias? We still have some time before it starts."

She threw her best pouting face. The blushing part wasn't that hard to pull off as it was genuine. "B-Because I want to spend some time together. Alone. Where no one will bother us."

He gulped, looked away, and brought his fist close to his chest. She was familiar with the signs and gestures of people who were having inner-monologues. She had them seldom. Right now, Issei was having a speech going off inside his head about this and that. There were a few tears at the corner of his eyes as his gaze twinkled with praise and glory.

He thought he was the lucky one to have her. Well… he wasn't wrong. Rias knew how amazing she was compared to everyone else.

By the time they gathered their snacks from the shack and found their seating the movie wouldn't begin until another twenty minutes. The cinema Rias dragged Issei to (and this is almost literal because he hadn't been thrilled about it) was a foreign romance film. It was a French film that would have carried subtitles for the uneducated. Luckily, their ability as a Devil granted them the ability to understand all human languages and— a bit of pride on her part— Rias was educated on the French language anyways.

Despite the day and hour, hardly anyone was present for this movie… which had been planned. Rias made sure to buy out all the tickets beforehand. Not that she would be telling Issei about this. She didn't want their moment alone to be interrupted by anything.

"And no Akeno in sight…" Rias let out a sigh of relief as she relaxed in her velvet seat.

"They're waiting outside, across the street," Issei explained. His eyes were fixated on his brow as he focused on his surroundings. "Their disguises could use some work."

"Does that mean that one time we followed you during your date with Asia you knew we were there?"

"…You were following me?"

"Urk!" she flinched. And then looked away nervously. "N-Never. As if I were such a prude as to spy on you…"

She knew he was teasing her. She was fully aware of his constant awareness as a Predator. It almost frightened her how well aware he was on his surroundings. Nothing ever seemed to surprise him anymore.

Issei sipped on his soda, scratched his cheek, and tried to think of something further to say for conversation. "Um… so how have things been going with the club?"

"It's been boring without you," she responded immediately, in a practiced tone. She didn't need to fake the emotions behind it. She really did miss having club activities with him… as did those other interlopers. "Mostly Kiba and Koneko have been taking up your fill of clientele. On occasion Akeno steps in to help them. Other than that… it's been the usual boring nonsense."

"No Strays or anything?"

"Nope," she shrugged. "Nothing serious ever comes our way now that Mr. Big Bad Demon Lord Hyoudou is here."

She poked his cheek at every syllable of his name. He didn't know how to take her jest and so just let it happen with a nervous chuckle.

"I, uh…" he looked again for something more to say. "I heard from Leviathan-san that there was trouble in Kyoto. Know anything about that?"

"Not really…" she drawled out the answer, partially because she really didn't know herself. "Leviathan-sama would know more about that than I do. I was hoping you could tell me but if you don't know…"

"Richard-san told me there's this huge meeting going on there," he said in a serious tone below his breath, more so to himself than to her. He caught what he said but couldn't take back the words.

"I've been meaning to ask you what the two of you talked about the other night," she crossed her legs and gave him a look. Her brows scrunched up irritably. "It took me until the next morning to realize I was hexed into leaving you. I don't appreciate your friend tricking me like that."

"…I'll let him know next time I see him," he replied after scratching the back of his head.

She eyed him, expecting him to answer her first inquiry but quickly discovered he had intentionally let it drop. She didn't want to pry the answer out of him, so she tried to be a little more subtle in her approach.

Rias leaned against Issei and let her head rest against his shoulder. She slid her fingers through his and remained still like that for some time. He stiffened at the sudden interaction but gradually thawed out. She almost giggled when she heard the audible gulp.

"You know I'm always worried about you," she began. "Not as your King, either. Do you know how many letters I get on your behalf? Hardly any of them are friendly. I've gotten a lot of trading requests or declaration for duels. You're very popular in the Devil community, Ise. It seems too suspicious that an Archmage would randomly show up. Didn't you make a comment about that too?"

He didn't respond. At least not immediately. He gave her hand a small squeeze before he finally answered. "He told me… that Rolan was trying to make his own Evil Pieces."

She blinked at that news. "What?"

"Yeah," he nodded with a grim tone. "I don't think he was trying to make more Devils though. I think he was trying to make something new. Leviathan-san told me he had been trying to get info on the Evil Pieces for years and Amelia thinks he wanted it to help him make more Predators."

What a frightening idea that was. And one that was very plausible.

 _"So that's where I went wrong."_

The memory of his visit in the clubroom sent a chill down her spine. His words hadn't made sense to her until now. It was when he picked up the King Piece and examined it with his mystic sight. At the same time, he had gifted the remainder of the set to Issei while pocketing the King Piece for himself. Any _actual_ King would have known the King Piece was nothing more than a painted novelty. It had no real power like the other Evil Pieces.

And, perhaps, that's where Rolan had been wrong in his research. Upon seeing a real set for the first time he realized his mistake and was going to make changes in his experiments.

"…Can he do it?" she asked, slightly afraid at the idea of him mass-producing Predators.

"I don't know," Issei gave a weary answer. "But I can't find a reason why he couldn't. I mean… it was Rolan who explained everything about being a Predator to me. He's the one who knows the system better than any of us."

She held his hand a little tighter.

"Let's talk about something else, why don't we?" Rias cocked her head.

Before the movie would start, the talked about menial things. Pointless things. He had been caught off-guard by her insight on the level of anime she knew and the two of them dove deep into the workings of their favorite series. Who would have thought the Rias Gremory was an otaku?

It was planning on her part. Being an otaku wasn't, however. Rias had a fascination to all things relating to the Japanese culture and Japanese animation was but one of the fields she was an expert in. It just so happened that the man she loved was just as infatuated with it as she was… though for different reasons.

Certain things weren't her favorite, nor did she fancy them. But she stomached them for his sake. Such as watching the entirety of the Dragonball series for his sake and for the sake of holding a conversation with him.

The things she would do for the one she loved…

*Scene*

"We have about two and a half hours until they come out," Akeno gave her usual mirthful smile while sipping her tea. "I hereby call this inquisition… I mean, this _get-together_ into order."

It was just four of them today. Asia was with Madame Serene off to parts unknown in her studying to become a proper Saint. Serafall Leviathan was back in the Underworld doing her job (for once). And no one had heard from Kiba despite the amount of texts they spammed his phone with.

It was up to these four to keep an eye on their prey— _conjoined interest_ and making sure Rias— _the thief_ (Akeno correcting herself) wasn't getting too out of hand. Akeno led the charge while Koneko, Xenovia, and Irina followed suite.

But Rias had anticipated their actions and had sought to empty out the theatre beforehand. It meant they couldn't blend in with the crowds and eavesdrop (or intervene if needed) on their union. Which meant they were stuck waiting until their movie was done.

Which gave Akeno _plenty_ of time to lay an inquisition for the two more recent additions of Issei's harem. Honestly that boy…

They were stationed at a café across the street and a few stations down from the theatre. Too far away to be spotted once the two got out but just far enough for the group to keep an eye on the entrance. Akeno had also laid a few sensory spells around the building just in case this had been some sort of diversion where Rias would lead Issei out through one of the backdoors. It was unnecessary as she knew her friend best and all her _childish_ tactics.

Akeno eyed her opposition disdainfully through her sharp gaze. She had mastered this appearance to fool anyone into believing she was an Angel… but it seldom worked as most knew of her demonic origins. Still, her smile was innocent and her eyes glistened with friendship. But her mind was scheming on how to peel back the skin and cause as much pain as possible to these two rivals.

Both of them had impressive figures. Issei loved breasts most of all, and Akeno can proudly declare she had the best pair that was only rivaled by Rias'. However, there was something in the back of her mind that told her these two were a threat. Xenovia had a modest pair that was mostly muscle, and yet still appealing in firmness. And Irina had a pair that was just shy of Akeno's in shape.

For humans… they were also beautiful. As expected of the Church's finest.

"What will you have us do?" asked Xenovia first in her stony gaze. It was a plus in Akeno's book. While Xenovia had an impressive feminine figure, it was her personality that was somewhat appalling. The girl had no charm to her whatsoever. "I recognize this for what it is. The Exorcists had a rite of passage as well when I was first inducted into the order."

"Oh no, sweetheart," Akeno's smile brightened up the day. "This is more of an interview than anything. Just a few questions. Please try to answer them honestly else they may alter your… results."

"It still feels like we're being bullied," Irina pouted almost childishly. But there was something sharp in her eyes. Akeno feared her the most. She had the 'childhood friend' card and that was something that had the highest value in any deck. Added in to her level of beauty and her total value just might be equal or— Hells Bells— greater than Akeno's.

She was having difficulty keeping up with Rias and Asia. The former was physically perfect and the latter was emotionally perfect.

"What is Ise-sempai to you?" Koneko fired the first question as she glared heatedly at the pair. It would have had a greater effect had she bothered to wipe the crumbs off her face… or stop munching on the cookie altogether.

Now while Akeno had felt a little threatened by these two, Koneko was absolutely terrified. She felt like she was drowning. At first she hadn't noticed, what with all the carnage and chaos going on within the past month. But as things started to calm down she started to realize her time with her sempai was starting to grow distant. As though she was gradually being pushed to the back of the group and slowly forgotten.

She thought she had made some sort of connection with Issei on that day during the training camp. She thought the two of them had gotten to know the other at an intimate level. They were two of a kind. And despite her… immature form, she had been able to sense a fair amount of lust radiating out of him every now and then.

Contrary to popular belief, she was dancing around in her inner world on that one day she caught him peeping on her. _On her!_ It meant he had found her attractive enough to desire to see what she looked like in the nude. Everyone else just thought she was cute, adorable, and defenseless.

Issei had seen her as a woman. It was twice as critical to her after he had learned of her Nekoshou heritage and hadn't changed his opinion of her in the slightest.

But their interactions had been sparse after that. She couldn't even recall the last time she had been able to sit on his lap.

And then comes Saint Serene of Finland and her two Exorcists. There was something impossibly inhuman about Serene. The way she presented herself _should have_ been dull and average. There was nothing special about her as everything she did was so tame and dry. And yet, she was beautiful and captivating. Even Koneko had been drawn to her.

It disgusted her to use the words of _that man._ But Koneko couldn't deny how he called Serene the biggest liar in all existence. Her beauty seemed so… fake.

Regardless, the two before her were just as big of a threat to her standing in Issei's attention. She needed to address these two and see where she stood at the end of it all… or if she still stood anywhere at all.

"Ise-kun is my closest, most special friend," Irina answered firmly. "He and I grew up together. I still care about him no matter what."

"You mean even after he became a Devil?" quipped Akeno, her smile growing fangs.

Irina returned the gaze with a fearless one, "He's still my Ise-kun no matter what he is. Devil. Dragon. Predator. I don't care. I still… I still love him."

"He doesn't know you," Koneko retorted with fangs of her own.

"He does too!" she argued back. "He just… doesn't remember. Within reason."

"Why don't you tell us what this is all about?" Xenovia pressed with a hardened look. "I had believed we all had a common interest and thought to support another. I did not realize this was a petty competition."

"It's a mixture of both," Akeno answered. "A bit of friendly rivalry. In the end it's Ise-kun who decides the pecking order."

"Yes, I certainly agree," Xenovia nodded without averting her gaze. "Perhaps we should leave it at this and allow him to decide who his next mistress shall be."

Akeno's brow twitched. No one noticed. "I'm not questioning your inability to seduce our Ise-kun, Xenovia-chan. That part's simple. I'm merely pondering your reasons behind it. Ise-kun is an extremely powerful person, both in politics and in the supernatural ecosystem. I can't help but be curious as to why two former enemies would try to get into his pants so suddenly."

Xenovia blinked, taken aback by the insinuation. "Oh. That makes things more clear. It's quite simple actually. If Irina and I were to bear him a child then it would surely safeguard our futures. I have no interest in this… pecking order of yours. I'm perfectly fine with being the least interesting mistress so long as he gives me a child."

Her answer made Akeno lose her smile.

"I care!" Irina shouted with her face crimson. Her outburst made heads turn, made her blush increase with embarrassment, and she sat back down. She waited until the eyes turned away before continuing. "I care about how Ise-kun looks at me. To… To have his child would be a dream come true. But I don't want to use him like that. I want… something… more…"

Both of their answers made Koneko cringe. The former had no particular interest in Issei at all other than a form of protection. The latter held him in a high esteem and was deeply infatuated with him.

"For the most part," Xenovia regained the center of attention. "We are here. We are still the acolytes to Madame Serene. If she is to be Lord Hyoudou's Queen then it is our duty to follow and serve him just as well. That is what Irina and I have decided on our own. However, whatever Lord Hyoudou decides to do with us is for him to review."

That would be the second time she told them this in the same conversation. The point wasn't missed.

"I'm refusing to let this slide," Akeno huffed.

"Perhaps, then, an accord is in order?" Xenovia offered with a tilt of her head.

Akeno and Koneko shared a glance, pondering the same question in through their eyes and reassuring the other. A blink from Koneko and a nod from Akeno. Their silent conversation had reached an impasse.

"Then why don't we set some ground rules?" Akeno leaned forward and offered a venomous smile. There was no reason to keep up her disgustingly sweet and cheery one for this pair of troublemakers.

*Scene*

Amelia almost frowned as she closed her cellphone. The message was delivered and she expected the receiver to come here in haste. Her immaculately porcelain expression was as still as stone as she paced down the walkway back to the main entrance. But there were some things that could not keep her from being frustrated.

As a Predator, she was forever frozen in a singular emotion; that of acceptance. If something she despised was presented to her, she accepted it. If something she adored crossed her path, she accepted it. _Acceptance,_ but hardly ever retaliatory. Her mind registered the things that she hated but could never express that loathsome ire. She knew the things she loved but lacked the ability to share her joy. The World had her locked in a trance to take things for however they were at face value.

Having that said… there were some things on this planet that could overrule the Predator's mindset and make her react appropriately. Things that on a normal scale would have a regular person either overzealous or outraged beyond control.

Such things included anything relating to her daughter. Not even the World could suppress the amount of love she had for the girl.

And the other… her hatred for _this one._

"I don't understand you sometimes," Chase Lance Rolan, now heralded as Fifth Predator since the demise of the former Fourth, examined her latest project with a clinical eye. His red and blue eyes glowed in a mystic light that read all of the workings she placed around the building. "I think you do this just to spite me."

"You wouldn't be wrong," she replied in her cool and somber tone… with something dark slipping out of her tongue. It made the air chill. Her sharp eyes stared at him, unwilling to blink else lose a single chance for him to escape. "What are you doing here? Don't you have more lives to ruin?"

"There will always be time for that," he answered with heavy sarcasm. His eyes looked away from the building and peered at her. His scowl was deep with irritation and bafflement. "I _really_ don't get you. Have you any idea how hard it was getting you out of the Church? And then you go and do this."

What he was gesturing towards was the old building beyond the outskirts of the city. It had formerly been the lair of a Fallen Angel coven, and before that it had been a House of the Lord. It took some convincing from Lady Gremory but eventually Amelia was given permission to fiddle around with this land. And after week of absorbing sin after sin that had desecrated the original building, Amelia had managed to return it to its former glory.

But it was never her intention of letting it stay as a House of the Lord. Because, really, _fuck_ God.

She lined every inch of the building with sin. Low-tier stuff that didn't immediately deteriorate the materials. It also took some experimentation and a little help from Asia and her newly awakened Sainthood to sand and polish the mysteries.

The end result was something revolutionary. Word was already spreading quickly thanks to Serafall Leviathan.

Amelia had created a Church in which Devils could pray to God.

She didn't do it for their sake. No. She did it because it was a guilty pleasure of hers to find new ways to blaspheme at the Lord.

Devils (and the occasional occult creature who snuck in with the crowds) visited this place with heavy skepticism. They were baffled by its creation, some wanted it to be destroyed and threatened to do it themselves… until the learned on who its creator had been. Others, mainly the Reincarnated, fell to their knees and wept. She would have rolled her eyes at that— getting them to leave was always such a chore.

It had hardly been a few weeks and already Rolan had heard about it. But he hadn't been here to antagonize her about it. Instead, he had brought along the girls of the Astaroth Peerage. She recognized most of them as former Exorcists, Paladins, sisters, and Holy Maidens. They all wept with joy at being permitted acceptance back into a working Church.

"I had thought you would have moved on by now," Rolan said after some idle silence.

She didn't respond immediately. Her eyes moved away from him and peered within the entrance and towards the altar chamber. It was the Lord's Day and thus the busiest of days. Already someone had volunteered to perform services and was openly reading the scripture. A former Catholic by the way he performed— but one welcomed regardless of what branch of religion anyone else in the chamber belonged to formerly. There was a universal miasma of uncertainty from the crowd, having been blackened from Heaven's grace and tamed like rodents with pain for hearing the Lord's Words. But as the scripturient read on, tensions began to lesson.

She spotted Asia kneeling at one of the aisles, whispering along with the scripture.

"I've chose to stay by my own volition," she answered finally.

Her response outraged him. She could feel the air grow heavy as his Aura leaked out. His eyes glowed fierce enough to brighten their surroundings. But it only lasted an instant. He forced his power back until there was nothing but cold precision in his gaze.

"Do you remember what you said to me nine years ago?" he asked in a tired voice.

Nine years ago…? What a long time that was. But, yes, she remembered what he was talking about regardless. He was referring to when he had helped her escape from the Church the first time.

"Perhaps my Master has something you lack," she bit back, turning her head only enough for him to see the side of her face. "That's taking into account I liked you a lot more back then. What you made yourself into now is truly something despicable."

"Master?" he blinked. "You can't be serious. You really do mean to become that boy's servant? Dammit woman. You are trading one master for another!"

"At least it will be by my own choosing this time," her brows furrowed, breaking her appeal of tranquility. "Is there any reason why you've come here, Chase? I highly doubt it was just to escort a few former maidens here. I believe their King would have sufficed."

"I don't trust Diodara near Asia and you know why," he countered as his eyes locked on the ceremonies beyond the doorway. "As for why I'm here… Ugh…"

 _ **Thoom!**_

There was a powerful gust of wind that swept Rolan off his feet. The Fifth Predator's scowl had deepened to the point of hateful boredom when Issei had flown out of seemingly nowhere and tackled him.

But as the Dragoon Predator crashed through the valley of trees beyond the church's border, Rolan appeared again standing in the same spot he had before. His body flickered once liken to static coming from a television. Grumbling, he patted his clothes (though there had been no marks on it whatsoever) and straightened the wrinkles.

Issei reappeared standing between Amelia and Rolan with his Gift of Flight blazing at his back. The geometric wings glowed with colors found only in the Dimensional Gap, silhouetting him as a pseudo higher dimensional being.

"You _know_ I'm not really here so why would you try to do that?" Rolan growled.

"Because every time you're here means you're up to something," Issei remarked. His wings blinked out but he did not lower his guard. His draconian eyes glowed in rivaling radiance to Rolan's Acolyte eyes. "It doesn't matter if you're using your familiar or whatever. Even saying your name brings trouble around here."

"No, that's just the bullshit that is Japan!" Rolan argued back. " _How_ you people manage to live everyday with monster attacks, alien invasions, magical secret wars, and interdimensional rifts in time and space is beyond me!"

"…Those things only happen when you arrive," Amelia mentioned, shifting back into her bland tone.

A pair of magic circles began to appear further down the walkway. In the next instant, Rias Gremory appeared followed by Akeno and Koneko from the other.

"You," Rias hissed through gritted teeth.

Rolan didn't bother to glance her way.

Issei frowned further. "Rias, I said to stay there."

"As if I could have left you alone with the likes of him," she protested and marched forward.

Her words made Rolan shake his head. Now he looked her way, "And here I thought you couldn't amaze me any further with your stupidity. Did you learn _nothing_ when you were dying down in the crypt?"

"…What?" came Issei.

Rias blinked as well, confused at his words.

"No, of course not, you wouldn't remember," Rolan ran a few fingers through his hair in irritation. "Fucking Philips and his _Radiance_ bullshit. But let me ask you anyways. What made you think you and your crew had what it takes to stand up against another one of us? When the Vampire had you cornered in the hallway and you threw everything you had at him did you realize anything at all? You _don't,_ you stupid girl. So when your boyfriend tells you to stay back because of me, you should very well listen. You are a liability.

"If I knew you were going to be this stupid again I should haven't had bothered and let you died down there. I lost something because of your arrogance. Even now, all it would take is a simple thought and…"

His Aura had spiked, consuming the area around them. But he never became hostile. Antagonistic, sure, but never did he become threatening. It didn't stop Issei and Amelia from moving over to shield Rias from Rolan.

However, Rolan wasn't bothering with them. His eyes were glowing and peering _through_ them with his attention locked on Rias. Intrigue and curiosity flashed for a brief instant. The air shifted as he warped his Aura to change from oppressive to sensitive. He was analyzing her.

He shut his eyes. His Aura dispersed until the air became sterile. When he opened them again, most of his anger was gone with the exception of his permanent scowl. "I'll take back my words for today. But you should consider my warning as… advice. Congratulations, I suppose. To the both of you."

"…What now?" Issei blinked with heavy confusion.

Rolan's eyes shifted back to Issei. They stared at another until understanding came to Rolan. "Oh. Well, it's still premature. Give it a week or two. But at least I know she won't be in our Rating Game. Among your girls she had the highest potential…"

"What are you going on about?" Issei was put on edge. He stepped forward, ready to challenge the Fifth Predator if needed. "What did you do to Rias?"

Rolan gave him a look that made Issei question his own intelligence.

Amelia put a hand on his arm and pulled him back. She gave him a reassuring look that told him there was nothing to worry about. It didn't do much considering it was _Rolan_ involved in this affair.

She looked over to examine Rias, who had grown quiet. Rias' complexion had paled as something had come across her mind. Something in Rolan's words had clicked with another idea and formed a truth. The realization donned on Rias and she came to a conclusion that shook her world.

Amelia finally understood what Rolan was implying. All it took was to look at Rias' hands… at how they were pressed against her stomach.

Their eyes had met. Amelia turned back to Rolan and Rias let her hands fall to her side. A silent understanding went between both of them that the matter should better be discussed later.

"I'm going to assume your little outburst means Sera didn't tell you why I'm here," Rolan began again. "Of course not. I'm not exactly here because I want to be— Ah. Speak of the devil and she shall appear."

Another magic circle began to glow at the garden area before Serafall Leviathan materialized. She was dressed in a fine pressed suit. Her blue eyes flashed immediately at Rolan as soon as she stepped out.

"Obi-tan, what a surprise, you're early," she began in a sing-song tone that, while sounding melodious, did not match the glare she sent his way. She walked gracefully over the uneven flooring of the stone steps to reach the group, all without losing the imperious presence befitting that of a Satan.

"Leviathan-san, what's going on?" Issei asked, nearly demanding with only his respect for her position keeping his voice leveled.

Amelia kept silent but still sent her own displeased stare towards the Leviathan.

"Exactly what I was trying to avoid," was Serafall's answer. Her head cocked over her shoulder as she spun on her heels… and presented herself a bit more professionally.

A new magic circle appeared on the ground, spinning on an axis. It glowed with a light that stung those aligned to the darkness. It was no brighter than a florescent light and yet did it sting to look upon equal to gazing directly at the sun. The intricacy of the sigils were different from the geometric and archaic versions the Devils used. These were more fluent and astral in their alignment.

Amelia's eyes narrowed with unperturbed revulsion. Not even the World could keep this emotion locked away at this presence. She recognized it for what it was.

It wasn't until her fingers slid across the cuff of her master's sleeve did she realize she had involuntarily moved closer to his side. Her heart was racing with anxiety. She knew they would have to have faced the wrath of Heaven at some point but had hoped to have more time to prepare mentally and martially.

Issei, bless his heart, had given her a concerned look and clasped her hand in a firm squeeze before letting it drop.

Out of the magic circle came two figures. Amelia nearly took a step back hadn't she braced herself for this predicament. She had expected two Archangels or some representative of Heaven to come for her. But she never expected the top of the brass to step down from the Seventh Ring onto the mortal realm.

Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel materialized in a flash of light.

"Oh hell," she couldn't help but swear.

*Scene*

"When you told me it was an emergency, I wasn't expecting something as… pedestrian as this," Rolan muttered to Serafall.

The Leviathan scowled at him, her cheeks puffing almost like a child's. She was peeved at his comment but not infuriated, at least not yet. "Behave. This is a serious problem and you know it."

"It would have saved a lot of trouble to have informed your ward about this beforehand," Rolan had leaned over and whispered into her ear. But he hadn't been subtle about it. Rather, he had intentionally said it loud enough for Issei to hear. He also looked directly at the Dragoon when saying so.

Issei continued to glare at the Fifth Predator. He didn't trust the man at all and chose to keep his eyes locked on his position at all times. He also didn't like how he was getting so chummy with Serafall— something that nagged him in the back of his mind. There was something going on between those two and it felt like something more than just their choice of profession. They threw words at another like friends.

"Oh, and before I forget…" with a flick of his wrist, Rolan had produced a bouquet of flowers and presented them to Serafall. The gesture made something within Issei crack like glass and he nearly stormed up to the Fifth Predator… but couldn't fathom why. Serafall was her own person and definitely wasn't one of his significant others.

"If this is your attempt to court me you're going to have to do far better than some discount flowers from the grocers," Serafall said with her childish smile and sing-song voice.

"Cute," Rolan sassed back. "These aren't the flowers of flattery. They're the flowers for grieving. Look at the colors. It's a shame too. **Miracle Levia-tan** was starting to become interesting with this latest season."

"Eh?!" Serafall shrieked. "W-What do you mean?! What do you know about my show that I don't?!"

"You haven't heard?" Rolan questioned back with a bit of smugness. "Apparently you've pissed off Sunlight Studios trying to take their Red Blur for your own show. Your producers are in a _losing_ legal battle. I don't think there'll be enough funding to finish the season."

And… at that point Issei stopped listening on their conversation.

For the sake of this discussion, they had moved to the gardens that had a few benches and a picnic table. There was even a fountain. Rather small and inhospitable for a meeting between the representatives between Heaven and Hell.

Rias and the others gave them space, choosing to remain on standby towards the main walkway. Though it was Michael who welcomed them to join if they desired, it was Serafall who suggested they were fine where they were and Rolan who outright dejected Michael's proposal.

"I've been longing to meet with you for quite some time," said the sad looking bishonen Angel, Michael. He had a gentle expression that looked age through eons of experience. He was, without a doubt, transcendently older than Serafall. "I was there, you know, when the Heavenly Father battled against the Red and White Dragons."

"Uh huh…" was all Issei could say as he assessed this one's threat level.

His instincts had screamed at him to never fight Serafall unless it couldn't be avoided. Well, as soon as he met Michael… his instincts were now going into a frenzy, begging at him to get away from this creature of divine might. He then pondered what would happen if he had to fight this thing.

The World was telling him he would need to use Vorpal for an assured victory. If he jumped into Juggernaut Drive then he would risk entering a battle but one tier below his skirmish against the Vampire. Meaning this creature would break him in two before he claimed victory.

"This is Saint Michael," Amelia announced at his back within his shadow. She was hiding from the Angel, something uncharacteristic of her. "He is the Host Regent of Heaven in the absence of the Heavenly Father… And he is one of the nine Candidates."

A Candidate, one who is just one step away from achieving the title and privilege of Predator. It meant they lacked one of the two vital requirements: the ability to kill anything and to survive against anything registered by the World.

It also meant Michael was potentially just as powerful as Issei who only lacked the backing of the World as a Predator.

…Even someone as ignorant as Issei had heard about the Archangel Michael, Commander of Heaven's Legions. He just didn't think he'd meet the same one from the legends in person.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Michael offered another smile and his hand.

"…Uh huh," was all Issei could manage as his brain was fried from this revelation.

They shook hands. Issei noticed the strong and calloused grip. Michael was a mean swordsman that put that damn handsome Yuuto to shame.

"Please allow me to introduce my dear sister," Michael stepped back and gestured for his counterpart to approach. "She was just as anxious as I was when she learned I had shared messages with Lady Leviathan in holding a conference with you. This is—"

"Bwah!" sputtered Issei, gasping as his jaw went slack.

The beauty who stepped out of the background was unworldly. She had a heart-shaped face with large eyes that sparkled in cosmic flares, golden locks of hair with each strand shimmering like webs of sunlight, and fair skin so smooth and flawless she was breathed out of newly kindled glass. Her lips were full and pink, and her smile dissolved all the wicked from the world around him and brought him into Nirvana.

"Bruh… bub… boo… boobies…"

And that rack. By the great eldritch gods of debauchery _that rack!_ She had _the_ perfect pair of tits that he didn't think possible. He had dreams about this pair. This unworldly pair that no amount of divine mathematics could ever hope to calculate. They were perky. They were at the right shape. They were large enough to where should he press his hands against them then they will be swallowed whole by their marshmallow elasticity.

Before he knew it, her hands had cupped his cheeks. Her hands were soft and slender. So tender and caring. They caressed his face with a euphoric pressure that reminded him of how his mother used to hold him. In the next instant, she stepped forward and pulled him in close for an embrace, letting his head rest against her breasts as she patted his head. She whispered something to him— secrets of a blissful union he wouldn't be able to remember no matter how hard he tried.

A single tear fell from his cheek. Her breasts… they were… perfect.

"Gabriel?"

And just like that, the dream was over.

"Oh dear," the Archangel Gabriel stepped away, leaving Issei lost in a daze. Her voice was like an orchestra of wind that soothed the soul. "I'm sorry brother. I was lost in the moment. You see… this one reminded me so much of my father I couldn't help myself…"

She cupped her cheek and tilted her head. Her smile became melancholic. He wanted to do something to cheer her up. _Anything._ He had fallen for her in this single moment.

Michael looked at them both. "I don't understand, sister. The Red Dragon Emperor is a remarkable individual, this is true. But I fail to see how he is of likeness to our father."

"Our?" Like a bubble popping, Gabriel blinked as his words spurred her out of her musing. There was something in her gaze. Something that didn't belong in her Angelic face. But he must have imagined it for it was gone before Issei could catch a glimpse of it. "Oh yes, the Heavenly Father. Pay my words no mind, brother."

"…Yes," Michael nodded, unsure for a moment before he returned to Issei. "Please pardon any insult my sister may have— Master Hyoudou? Are you alright?"

"Uh… huh…" Issei nodded but his response had been mechanical. He wasn't really paying attention at this point as all his focus was reminiscing on the sensation of Saint Gabriel's bosom. His mind replayed the memory over and over again with his draconian senses replicating every degree of touch within his head. He was drunk in this feeling, drugged and intoxicated having found the one true pair of breasts that ruled over all.

His instincts screamed at him. But he couldn't hear it.

A rock smashed onto the side of his head, followed by some vicious words from Koneko. His head bobbled slightly from the impact but there had been no harm done. The pain didn't register anything further from a tap. His eyes were still transfixed on Gabriel's perfect mounds.

"Uh huh…" he nodded again as if that rock had been part of a conversation.

His instincts screamed again.

"YYYEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWW!" he howled and leapt a few feet in the air out of reaction.

Amelia was staring at him with her usual bland look. But there was something deeper in her gaze. The kind of look that drank in all the warmth and turned the hottest of days into an icy tundra. It also made the shadows darker with something sinister lurking around the corner.

She had a finger pointed at his back. Something black had crackled like lightning at her fingertip before it had surged out. Whatever sin she used had sent his nerves flaring with pain.

"Master, it's not polite to stare," she chided him. "Wars have been waged over these sort of matters. _Civil_ wars in this case."

She said so while gesturing towards the peanut gallery. Issei (while rubbing the spot she had pricked him on) had turned to where her eyes had peered towards… and gulped.

Every single one of the Devil girls were glaring death his way. At least Asia hadn't been around. His heart probably wouldn't have been able to take it if he made the girl cry.

"It's not his fault!" shouted Serafall from the background. "Don't listen to that hussy of an Angel! She's evil, I tell you! This was all part of her plan!"

"Why Serafall, how cruel…" Gabriel sighed, suddenly sad at the Leviathan's harsh words. "I've already apologized for my transgressions. I meant nothing by my actions."

"Lies!" Serafall raised her fists up to denounce the Angel's words. "It's all lies! I know what you really are!"

"…I believe we should move on to our reason for coming here," pressed Michael as he rested a gentle hand on Issei's shoulder and guided him towards one of the tables. There was something in his actions that suggested he didn't want Gabriel and Serafall to have a spat… with a look of weariness that suggested this had happened on multiple occasions.

Michael gestured for Issei to take a seat as well as for any others to join them. Gabriel stood at his back with her hands folded in front of her and her heavenly betwixt smile. On the opposite side sat Issei with Serafall joining him. Amelia stood in the back, a few paces away from the table as if to be as far away from the Angels as possible while still in range should Issei need her. And, finally, sitting on one side between both parties sat Rolan.

"I would like to open delegations with a gift, of course," Michael began as he waved his hand.

There was a bit of a flash of light at the center of the table. Another sigil had appeared with intricate patterns but nothing Issei cared or knew how to read. He didn't sense any harm would befall him but kept his eyes open despite the stinging pain from the light.

When it died down, a sword rested on the table. It was a pretty instrument. Unfortunately, Issei knew next to nothing about swords in order to give it a more analytical appraisal.

However… his draconian and Devil sensations were tingling. The sword made him uncomfortable. He could pick up holy signatures that rivaled the Excalibur Fragments along with something else…

"Ascalon?" it was Rolan who questioned Michael.

The Archangel nodded. "Yes. Ascalon. The weapon belonging to Saint George the dragon slayer… not to be confused with _your_ Dragon Slayer. I have heard word that you've met with your rival, the White Dragon Emperor, Master Hyoudou. I present this to you in hopes to give you an advantage against him as well as to know Heaven supports you fully. We wish not to be your enemy, but an ally, and so we give you our dragon-rendering weapon for you to see we wish you no harm."

Issei couldn't help but scratch his cheek. "White who? Oh! That guy. Yeah, thanks and all but, uh, I kinda don't need it. I think he's dead."

Rolan's scowl shifted while he crossed his arms.

Michael blinked with mild confusion. He quickly recovered. "I don't mean to question your intelligence, but are you sure? Heaven is in charge of rerouting and choosing the next Sacred Gear wielder upon their predecessor's death. The Divine Dividing has yet to enter the system."

"Vali was taken by the enemy," Rolan answered in a hushed voice, low enough for only those at the table to have been able to hear.

"…Great," Issei groaned. The White Chaser (as he knew him by) hadn't been a bit problem but more of a nuisance. Still, he was supposed to be his rival. If Issei had gotten this powerful because of Ddraig then there was a possibility that Vali could become just as powerful. Especially if the enemy had gotten a hold of him.

Amelia took a few steps forward and whispered into his ear, "Master, you should accept this gift. Not for its draconian specialty but because I would appreciate it. The altar of my chapel requires a holy relic still."

"It's also rude to refuse a gift," Serafall whispered behind her hand. "It's like saying it's not good enough and the other side might get offended by it. Take it, Dragoon-chan, and put it in the basement for all you care."

Michael kept his smile. But he had a look that told everyone else he had clearly heard all of their _whispers._

"Um… right then," Issei nodded and picked up the sword by the hilt in one hand and the flat of the blade on the other. He handed it over to Amelia. "Thank you. I… appreciate it."

"If you don't mind, Michael," Rolan spoke up as he rested his elbows against the table and leaned forward, "I am a little pressed for time here. Sera says you needed to chat with me but if you're only here to get in Hyoudou's good graces I'm going to be upset."

"I thank you first, Sir Rolan, for arriving upon my request," Michael responded democratically. "I understand it was on short notice and I appreciate the haste of your coming. What I am here for today is to present a case in which both you and Master Hyoudou coincide with."

Michael was no longer smiling. Here was a man who was the head of Heaven, with a sharp gaze greater than any blade and a soul burning unlike any mortal flame.

This air of presence made Issei sit up a little straighter. He didn't have the presence of a ruler like Michael or Serafall… or even Rolan when he like to pretend to be King Oberon. But he was still a Predator and that itself held authority of its own. He would not back down from a challenge.

Rolan didn't shift in his posture; he was unfazed by Michael's magnificence.

"I will be brief," Michael began as he cupped his hands on top of the table, his eyes shifting back and forth between Rolan and Issei as he talked. "Heaven is under attack and we are on the brink of collapsing. The three factions of the Church are in disarray and we've lost contact with representatives from the Gathering of Heaven— the order that united all factions together under one banner. There is an evil out there that wants us destroyed. It is invisible to our eyes and has gone around slaughtering our followers. Without the protection of our Heavenly Father we have no means to defend ourselves."

"Is that why you sent your Legions and Powers to my territories?" Rolan more so demanded than inquired.

"You have my most sincere apologies for my misinformation, King Oberon," Michael swayed with a hand over his heart and a truly regretful look. "As was said in my letters, I have offered any recompense you may demand of Heaven. Our sources had alerted us the instigators were stationed in Eastern Europe but we were fooled. We were misdirected and both Angels and Fae fell from our foolishness."

"The only thing I want is an explanation," Rolan's anger spiked as he hissed. "What the hell made you believe the Fae had something to do with this?"

Michael was quiet for a moment. His answer came in a low voice, "Survivors of the purge have testified it was you, Sir Rolan, who insinuated all of this."

Rolan's eyes narrowed to dangerous levels. "…You should have approached me about this first. You didn't need to execute your officers for this. You Angels are running extinct, remember?"

"…Yes," Michael's nod was grave. "But an example needed to be made else similar mistakes will happen. And it is only just the blood of the innocent be washed away by the blood of the guilty."

"…It is right and just," agreed Rolan with a somber tone as he looked away.

"You can't be serious," Issei hissed. " _You_ can't be serious. How can you just sit there and say shit like that when you and I both know it's _you_ who's doing all this?!"

"Master Hyoudou, please," pleaded Michael with a raised hand. "We have investigated all the evidence leading to Sir Rolan's accusation and have found no fault on his part."

"Besides," Rolan stared directly at Issei, his eyes glowing and challenging the Dragoon to make the first move. "I'm bound under contract. As King Oberon I cannot partake in any affairs that will jeopardize the safety of any party I have dealings with. Heaven uses my research facilities and thus are they a part of this contract. It's a pretty powerful contract too. The penalty for it is death."

Issei scoffed. Rolan was a Predator. One of the requirements was the ability to _survive_ against anything. Rolan had a way to go against such a contract and not have to face the penalty.

"So what is it that you want," Rolan turned back to Michael before Issei could give his retort. "I'll not order my men into war, if that's what you're asking. They're going to be a little hard to convince anyways after Heaven struck the first blow."

It took Serafall to slide her hand on top of Issei's thigh in order to get him from rising out of his seat. Her face was stalwart and unflinching, but he could feel her hand shaking with just as much rage as he was feeling. He listened to her gesture and remained silent. At least for now.

"I am not asking for your services as King Oberon," Michael spoke. "I am requiring the services for hire as the mercenary under the alias Second Symphony. And… if you will permit it, as Sixth Predator."

"…Fifth," Rolan corrected with a sneer. "You're a little out of date, Michael. Haven't you heard? The Vampire is dead and so our ranks have been altered. I'm now the Fifth."

"I stand corrected," Michael replied with a patient tone.

Rolan's eyes narrowed further as he kept quiet, never averting his gaze away from Michael. "You said this concerned both Hyoudou and I."

"Yes… which brings me to the pressing matter at hand," Michael's eyes shifted back over to Issei.

Issei ended up getting lost in those skyward eyes of his. Eyes that had seen the dawn of creation and had observed every war within the mortal realm. And he had fought in countless battles the likes mortal men couldn't fathom. He held a presence that belittled Issei despite his dominating authority as a Predator.

"Master Hyoudou, what I ask is not easy… and I am sure it may be more difficult for you than it is for me. The one who is attacking us, who is slaughtering not just our militia but the innocent indiscriminately, is aware of how we function. It is an enemy we have no means to defend against. And it cannot be ignored that they struck as soon as the Divine Beast left our gates."

Issei stiffened. He _finally_ understood what this was all about.

Michael's eyes saddened. He knew fully well what he was asking and let Issei see that understanding. He knew fully well of Amelia's position as a Saint and what it had done to her. It bothered him just as much as it had tortured her. He openly grieved for her.

But the moment passed. All that remained was the stoic gaze of a leader.

"Will you save us all and hand over Saint Serene?"

It was as if all of time had stopped. The wind had stopped blowing. There was a chill that suffocated him.

There was a pressure on him. A weight resting on his shoulders. He had been aware of the genocide Rolan was running. Anyone connected to the Church and the side of Heaven was being slaughtered. And it all happened because Amelia was no longer there to keep him at bay. There had been a reason why he could never attack the Church while she was around. It would have been easy to go around her and strike at places she couldn't guard. Even a Predator couldn't defend _everywhere._

There had been something between Rolan and Amelia. And that was what kept him away from her. But now? Now that she was with the side of the Devils was the side of Heaven defenseless. Rolan was given free rein to unleash all of his hatred and spite onto the Church.

People were dying. They were being killed left and right. Millions, possibly reaching in a billion, were winding up dead through various methods. And it was all because _one person_ was no longer there to protect them.

One person. Issei could save so many lives if he handed over Amelia. He would be betraying her. He would be sending her off to the hell she had fought tooth and nail to escape. He had promised to protect her.

But the weight of an insurmountable sum of people made him choke on his final dejection. He could not reject Michael's words. He had thought he had agreed to this. But who was he fooling? He was still just a child who thought he could turn a blind eye. And yet, the crushing reality of a mass sum of people _dying_ shook him at his core.

He would be no better than the Vampire if he let all these people die.

He looked around frantically, seeking the assistance of _anyone._

No one would help him. His loved ones were just as unsure as he was. They only offered looks of support, saying they were on his side no matter what decision he was to make. But they could not make the decision for him.

Serafall's expression was blank. She had slipped into an observant gaze making note of his actions. She was supposed to be his advisor and mentor in order to make him into a functional Demon Lord. And that was what she was doing. Right now was a trial— he needed to think under pressure and make a decision befitting of his authority. She could not help him.

He looked at Michael. The Archangel had sympathy in his eyes. His mouth had opened once, words of encouragement or to convince him in making a decision, or perhaps to prolong it. But he closed it suddenly with his eyes sharpening. This was something that could not wait. Issei needed to make a decision here and now. The longer he waited the more lives were lost.

Finally, he looked over to Rolan. The Fifth Predator his the lower half of his face cupped behind his knuckles with his eyes locked on Issei. He was observing him just as much as Serafall but by alternative intentions. Hidden behind manipulative calculations was something akin to pity. As though he were watching someone he actually wanted to save drown.

And that's what it felt like to him. It felt like he was drowning.

He wanted to puke.

But there was one person he hadn't looked at. One whose opinion mattered the most and the one whom he should have looked upon first. In truth, when he got down to the point, this wasn't his decision to make. It never was in the first place.

"Amy," he looked at his Queen, "what do you want to do?"

Amelia looked to be just as lost as he was. To any stranger she would have been just as tranquil as she would always seem. He could see the changes that shattered that façade. The curve of her lip, the crease in her brow, the narrow of her eyes. All miniscule and insignificant, and impossible to notice. But he could. Perhaps because he had spent some time close to her… or perhaps it was his draconian heart resonating with her feelings and drawing them out of her core.

"…I respect any choice you make, Master," she replied almost numbly.

It was a short and vague answer. But in that one sentence was an entire conversation shared. They never looked away from another for an agonizing amount of time. Eventually, he had to cut off their line and face Michael.

The Archangel was sitting as still and as patient as a timeless statue, his eyes barrowing into Issei's with such precision they were able to find the answer before the boy could give them. Understanding shone, but along with it came grief.

"I'm sorry," Issei said in a heavy voice. "But I cannot give you my Queen."

"Your Queen…?" something more liken to intrigue than scandalizing shock swept across Michael. His eyes flashed over Issei's shoulder to look upon Amelia. She stepped forward and placed her hand on Issei's shoulder, who sat up a little straighter from her touch.

He was stunned. It would seem Michael hadn't expected things to progress this way. He either believed to be able to retrieve Amelia in some manner of bargaining or hadn't expected her to become a Devil herself. Not that she was, at least not yet. But the demonic taint was still there from a single Queen Piece that allowed her to erode the grace that made her a Living Saint. Had it been any other Saint and the Evil Piece would have killed the host.

And perhaps this was why Michael was baffled by the sight of her now.

The Archangel turned his head to share a gaze with his peer, unsure on how to progress this gathering. Gabriel met his gaze with one of her own, her eyes twinkling with something ancient and unreadable. A silent conversation passed between the two siblings with far more depth than the one Issei had just shared with Amelia. It was backed by the eons of companionship these two celestial beings shared since the creation of all things.

"Is there nothing we may offer?" Gabriel stepped forward and asked. "The fate of millions rest on this. We are willing to trade anything to save their lives. Will you not at least be willing to listen to our offer?"

His hands shook underneath the table. Rage, frustration, and most of all guilt ate away at his heart. He was condemning so many people to die all to protect one person. And the person responsible for all of this was sitting at the same table. No, not really. Rolan was comfortable elsewhere while he projected his own image through his familiar.

Issei was not ready to face Rolan. Not yet.

"There's nothing you can offer me," he said in a low tone. "My mind has been made and I promised to take care of Amelia."

Gabriel nodded once, pressed her fingers together and placed them over her chest in some sort of thoughtful habit of hers. She even looked away as a few ideas cycled in her head.

"I am not referring to a shiny trinket from our vaults or a few shallow favors, Master Hyoudou," Gabriel carried on. "Saint Serene means a precious amount to you, I can see it in your eyes and it shines in your heart. I am proposing something of equal value."

Her smile turned into something that sent a shiver down his spine. She placed her hand over hear heart and spoke again. "How would you prefer if I were to be your Queen?"

There was a chorus of gasps that echoed around the area. Their conversation had gone on long enough to draw in a crowd from within the chapel. The Devils all gasped with utmost shock upon hearing the proposal that one of Heaven's mightiest would willingly fall from grace. Serafall's eyes had turned dangerously cold and fierce. Even Rolan's eyes blazed as a torrent of his power leaked out.

It was probably Michael who had the biggest reaction. "Sister, no! You can't!"

He was out of his seat and had placed his hands over hers, cupping them tightly.

Gabriel offered him a sad smile, "I understand your concern, brother. But the side of Heaven must have the wielder of the Lord's Blade—"

"Called it," Rolan interjected at the most inconvenient time.

Amelia's brow twitched when she glared at him.

Gabriel continued on uninterrupted, "It would be of no concern if the Devils held it. At least then I would be glad to know one of His wonders still lives. But if Heaven falls then Saint Serene shall be the last to wield the Lord's Blade. None shall host it after her.

"We must speak truth, brother. If Heaven is willing to offer anything to protect the peace then we must hold true to our words. I am content with this. Are you not?"

"Then let me be the other," Michael protested.

She shook her head and slid her hand out of his in order to cup his face. "Brother dearest, Heaven needs you more than I. You are the last of the light our Heavenly Father has left. You are the Commander of the Heavenly Host. Your value is priceless compared to mine."

Issei wanted to say something, but stopped himself because it felt like he would be interrupting something magical. He already felt like an intruder for witnessing this moment.

Gabriel pulled her hands away and slipped past her brother towards the table with a grace that defied physics. She was more like mist with the way her robes swayed and the way her feet didn't seem to touch the ground with each step. Her eyes moistened before a quick blink washed away what tears she had. She put on her best smile to date, which took the breath out of his lungs.

"What say you, Master Hyoudou? I would be most honored to serve one such as you for any task you may require. A fitting cost to save the lives of millions, is it not?"

He couldn't help himself. The idea of this beauty slowly disrobing in his bedroom made him pause in his reply. The words froze on his tongue. That smile… he wanted to taste those lips. That creamy skin… he wanted to examine every inch of it. Those breasts… he wanted to smother his face in them and use them as a pillow before drifting away into a blissful dream.

Gabriel was beautiful. Vastly and overshooting the concept of beauty out of the water, at that. He had thought his Asia and his Rias were the most beautiful people on the planet. But it was Gabriel who took the top of the rankings by storm. She made Rias and Asia look mundane and average while she was the living, breathing, incarnate concept of beauty itself.

And he wanted her.

"Don't do it, Dragoon-chan!" someone had shouted right into his ear. It stung, just a little bit, by the shrillness of it all. He paid it no mind as his mind was focused on the daydream of ravishing this Angelic beauty.

An electric shock coursed through his hand, shot up his arm, and ran down his spine. It was nothing like the painful surge Amelia had sent through his back. This one was on an entirely different level. It was also far more efficient in pulling him back into reality.

He blinked a few times and followed his arm to the origin of the sensation. It took a moment for his mind to fully register what had happened.

In some sort of desperate move, Serafall had grabbed his hand and slipped it under her blazer and across her inner blouse. He could feel the laced material that made up her bra underneath and some parts of the soft flesh that was her left boob.

He gave it a squeeze. Another torrent of pulse waves flew up his arm.

Serafall sighed with relief before prying his hand off. She gave a level glare at Gabriel and an accusing finger. "Your venomous charm won't work this time, witch! I know what you're really after and I won't let you have Dragoon-chan!"

Rolan leaned forward and hissed, "Sera, I thought we were trying to avoid confrontation with Heaven. Don't start a war because of your damn rivalry."

"But she's evil!" she bellowed in outrage. "Evil, I tell you! Just look at what she almost made Dragoon-chan do!"

Issei was too busy staring at his empty hand. It instinctively flexed, still fresh with the memory of cupping a feel of _the_ bust Serafall Leviathan. Even if it hadn't been direct contact was it still a priceless memory he will never forget.

The evil glares the Occult Research Club sent his way mattered little. He would tank through their punishments later. But, lo and behold, a part of him felt guilty when he saw Asia on the verge of tears.

"In this time of crisis I only desire to make peace with my neighbors," Gabriel defended with a small pout. "I wish for us to be friends, Serafall. Will you deny me the chance to become your sister in truth?"

"NEVER!" Serafall shouted as she stood from her seat and placed one foot on the top of the table.

"Do you seriously think having your Divine Beast will make things all better like they used to be?" Rolan spoke up. "Things have gotten too far for her to do anything at this point. You have no Church to organize. You don't even know where to begin looking for your little witch hunt."

…It would have been nice if Rolan said all this a few minutes ago. But he probably kept quiet just to watch Issei squirm when the request was presented to him.

Michael returned to the table but he remained standing. "It would be a start. So long as we have a foundation can we rebuild. So long as the people keep their faith shall we survive."

Rolan slowly stood from his seat with his hands flat on the table. This caused Issei to stand as well (and for Serafall to hop down to stand beside him). Rolan kept a level stare with Michael. "The Observers once said something just as stupid. They thought they could return to the glory days after their people were being hunted down if they kept to their old teachings and kept their faith, just like yours. Do you want to know who it was that survived such a war?"

Michael's head tilted in confusion. As a leader of a supernatural faction he had been made aware of other powerful figures. He would know about the order Rolan was referring to. But it was Rolan's words that confused him the most.

It even confused Issei. As far as he knew, the Observers were still around, whoever or whatever they were. Amelia had told him stories about them and Richard Royals had recently shared news about their latest scandal.

So why did Rolan talk about them as if they were no longer around?

"I did," Rolan answered after a pause. "A simple Rogue who had no love or care for their ways. Because I _adapted._ Your enemy, as you said, knows who you are and how you work. If you do not change the way things are then you will watch yourselves be devoured by something you don't have a means to fight against."

"…You mean to suggest that we _Fall?_ " Michael's voice became tense with horror and cold fury.

"I suggest you _survive,_ " Rolan corrected with a raised finger. "If you have your foundation, to use your own words, you can rebuild."

Michael, for the first time, frowned. It didn't look right to see such a perfect being like him take on the guise of wrath. "There is wisdom in your words, Sir Rolan. And I'll not condemn my brethren should they follow this path. But it is beyond me. I'll never forgive myself if I turn my back on my father and disobey his last commands."

"…Understand you're fighting a losing battle," Rolan said next through a tired voice, almost impatient as if he had said this a thousand times before.

"Then will you come to our aid and assist us?" Michael asked with a firm voice that was borderline pleading. "Even if it is not as King Oberon of the Fae but as a single mercenary?

"And you, Master Hyoudou?" he spun quickly to face Issei. "I implore you. No, I beg of you. I know it in your heart there lies a savior for the people still. Becoming a Devil has never changed your ways. Will you not save lives by returning Saint Serene to us? Please. Do it not for me, though I do still offer you everything in my power— do it for the innocents that know not their murderer."

There was something saddening about seeing such a grand being like Michael looking so desperate. He must have realized he had failed in negotiations and was now begging for a helping hand. It hurt for Issei to look at someone so ancient and magnificent stoop so low.

"Serene, answer honestly, and I know how difficult that is for you," Rolan shifted his eyes over to Amelia while his voice dripped with acid and sarcasm. "I'm _sure_ you know who it is doing all this. We Predators do anyways. Do you think you can do anything if you were pinned against this person?"

Michael's eyes widened, "You… Sir Rolan, you know the assailant?"

But Rolan didn't answer. His expression didn't shift. He had let loose that piece of information on purpose. But why, Issei didn't know.

Amelia's hands tightened on the hilt of Ascalon. She knew better than to play along with Rolan and his charades, but chose to answer anyways. "The circumstances are different. There would be no point in fighting. And I don't believe he has the heart to listen to any persuasion at this point. That monster is too consumed in his own petty, childish tantrum. I doubt he even remembers what he was angry for."

"There you have it," Rolan waved a casual hand at Amelia while cocking his head towards Michael. "So, please, show a little more dignity. You are the Host Regent."

…Did Rolan just help? Issei couldn't figure it out. But he recognized the hidden agenda. After all, Rolan had wanted Amelia out of the Church just as badly.

"I must try anyways to preserve the Lord's Blade," Michael tried for a new tactic. "Heaven _must_ survive else all of the Heavenly Father's wonders will disappear by the next generation. That includes the distribution of Sacred Gears to new vessels."

Issei wasn't sure how to feel about that. While the Sacred Gears were marvelous instruments that gave ordinary people power… it was through his experience and all of those around him that put a heavy strain on their lives. For all this power, all it did was make his life a living hell.

He would have been far better off if he hadn't been born with the Boosted Gear. Maybe then he wouldn't have gotten the attention of the Vampire. And maybe then his parents would still be alive.

"I never needed a Sacred Gear to become a Predator," countered Rolan. "Out of the forty-seven Predators in history I am aware of, only _one_ of them has been the bearer of a Sacred Gear. And that would be our Dragoon, right here. I think we can manage without them. I think we will _thrive_ without such a crutch."

Serafall clapped her hands, silencing their argument before it could grow out of control. "I think we need a recess to cool for a bit. How about we take a short break and get back to this in a bit?"

"Don't bother," Rolan scowled… more than usual anyways. "I've had enough of this. It's been pointless trying to argue with a child who doesn't want to face facts. I'm leaving."

"Good riddance," Issei spat. He couldn't help it. Everything about this guy pissed him off.

"Y-You can't just leave like that!" Serafall shouted as soon as Rolan turned his back. "You're a leader and this concerns you just as much!"

He raised his hand and opened a hole through space. He paused before stepping in to look over his shoulder. "No, it doesn't. I've pulled my weight and have taken responsibility over what has been mine. Heaven is not a threat to any of my factions and so I am content. Anything further is just excessive work. I've better things to do."

"Just one moment, please, Sir Rolan," Gabriel spoke up.

Rolan's eyes narrowed when she approached him. He turned his body to half-face her, as if on edge with her presence. Something about her made him feel threatened.

"Will you not give us a name at least?" she asked. "Only that much and we will let you go."

"…What the hell are you?" he asked of her.

Her smile never dropped. It never changed. It remained perfect.

He sighed, frustrated. "I want sections nine, sixty-four, and three hundred eighty-seven of your archives delivered to my territories."

Michael stepped around the table to approach Rolan as well. "That's quite the demand, Sir Rolan. What will you do with such secrets?"

Rolan didn't answer. Instead, he lost his patience and moved to enter the portal.

"Very well," Michael announced, making the Fifth Predator stop in his tracks. His eyes were closed as he muttered something incoherent under his breath. It lasted a few minutes until his eyes opened again and he stared at the shorter man. "It has been done. Who is it that's been harming our—"

"Me," Rolan answered flatly.

"…What?"

"The kid was right," Rolan gave a lax gesture with his head towards Issei. "I've been the one killing 'your people'."

Michael's eyes flashed wide with horror. He shook his head, disbelieving the words Rolan had shared. Truths he had dismissed were returning. Issei watched as the Angel argued with himself over matters happening in the past. Things he had ignored or believed were being reevaluated right here and now.

…Didn't Michael say not too long ago he had some of his officers executed because they had their information wrong about Rolan?

This, along with a hundred other horrors, had caught Michael flatfooted. "I… I trusted you."

The words were thrown like blades. Issei flinched hearing the heavenly being let such a thick amount of unparalleled hatred and sorrow slip through. But Rolan was unfazed. He only continued to observe Michael and his breakdown.

Issei's wings flashed as he swerved around the area to put himself between these two and the crowds observing this plight.

As quick as a flash, Michael had conjured a blade of holy light equal in radiance to the rising sun. His twelve wings spread out to their full length as he closed the distance between he and Rolan almost as impossibly fast as Issei could have with his Gift of Flight. It was as though Michael was not restricted to the limitations of reality.

Rolan's hands were up in defense, countering Michael's charge. An invisible layer blocked the Archangel from piercing his heart. But it was cracking. The strength of the Archangel was too much as the strain started to weaken the barrier.

Rolan's image blurred, becoming distorted and discolored. The projection had lost its connection as it was not Rolan who was trying to defend against the Archangel. It was his familiar who was trying to protect its body from being penetrated.

The visage crumbled. Issei saw a woman dressed in a man's Victorian-style suit and hair of a pageboy golden curls. He couldn't see her face as it was covered in a crystalline mask that distorted what lay hidden beneath.

"My master should fight his own battles," said the woman just before the barrier shattered. But Michael's blade never made it. She disappeared in a blink with the portal behind her closing shut. She was gone.

The Archangel dismissed his blade with a bowed head. His brows were creased in frustration and betrayal. It would take a minute for him to reclaim his composure.

"…That was a dirty trick," Issei heard Serafall say to Gabriel.

Gabriel looked her way and offered a look of pity. "Serafall, please, will you accuse me of breaking my brother's heart as well?"

Serafall huffed and crossed her arms.

"I believe I owe you an apology, Master Hyoudou," Michael said in a low and tired voice. But not defeated. He lifted his head high enough to look up at the open sky. "Something had told me you were speaking in truth but it was my fear that blinded me."

"That's just what Rolan does," Issei found himself saying. "He manipulates. He lies and he cheats. He'll get under your skin and use you."

Issei had more than enough experience to know that truth.

"I would like to point out the Devils have nothing to do with this!" Serafall defended. "Obi-tan may be a Demon Lord but he's an entirely independent character."

"I am accusing you of nothing, Lady Leviathan," Michael whispered. He brought his head back down and reproached the table. "I cannot ask you for your assistance in this endeavor. Neither Heaven nor Hell would be willing to cooperate. I had hoped we could talk of peace soon… but that day seems to have gotten further."

Serafall gestured for Michael to come closer, for her to whisper something into his ear. Michael eyed her curiously but complied. Issei had to strain himself to hear what they shared. "…If you send a platoon to the Underworld I can send one of my own to 'defend'. We'll have just cause to arrest Obi-tan for instigating a war."

Issei's brows shot up. The thing that Serafall had just suggested…

"I'll hear none of that," Michael protested. "I'll not risk your lives for this. This is a matter of Heaven and we shall deal with it accordingly. I cannot ask for your assistance in this."

"But you have no problem dragging me back by leash," Amelia spoke up.

"…I believe I must reevaluate the situation," Michael said aloud. Whether he had heard Amelia or had ignored her, Issei couldn't tell. "I thank you for conversing with me, Lady Leviathan, and for permitting me a conference with Master Hyoudou. I am sorry we could not come to an accord. Maybe one day Heaven and Hell will be able to walk hand-in-hand with another."

Serafall didn't say anything. She gave a curt nod and nothing more.

Michael gave a light bow before he folded his hands together and approached Issei. "Master Hyoudou, I owe you my sincerest apologies. I was made aware I was pulling you away from a private moment with your beloved and yet I did so for selfish reasons."

"…Yeah, it's fine," Issei said, though it was a big-fat lie. Rias was positively fuming for having their date disturbed. And Issei was a little bummed out not being able to spend better time with his girlfriend.

…At least he was able to get out of that snore of a love film. That was a plus.

"Saint Serene," Michael turned to Amelia, who was pacing back to Issei's side as a dutiful Queen. "I owe you the biggest apology of—"

"Bugger off," she snapped at him in her own unique, if not deceptively calm, way.

More words were shared, but at this point Issei no longer needed to pay attention. Serafall and Michael continued to talk amongst their selves. Gabriel conversed when needed but kept her eyes mainly primed on Issei. It was all trivial political nonsense that went over his head. He was already starting to have a headache trying to follow everything going on when they were sitting at the crude table.

He stayed there, pretending to listen until Michael and Gabriel said their final goodbyes. Gabriel had handed him a unique card with some sort of magic sigil not unlike the Devil tags he had delivered in what seemed like forever ago. She said it allowed him to converse with her or Michael on their private channel should the need ever arise.

"It's good to have such connections," Serafall had said. "Just make sure you talk to Mikey-chan. Don't trust Gabi-chan. There's something not right about that one."

"Did I make the right decision?" he found himself asking.

Serafall struggled to find the appropriate response. "I don't know. Maybe? It's complicated, Dragoon-chan. This is the line of work you will be putting yourself under. You'll be forced to make decisions like this later on. Those with power have a responsibility to use it. I'm not just talking about you being a Demon Lord, either."

He knew. He had a responsibility as a Predator to defend the planet. The whisperings of the end of the World were gradually growing louder as the days progressed.

"You should try to enjoy the rest of the day," she said, returning to her more chipper tone. "What's left of it anyways. Don't let this bum out your date night. Just remember Ria-tan has school tomorrow and you have your familiar quest."

"What are we going to do about Rolan?" he chose to ask. "There's only a month left until Summer. Can't you just arrest him and negate his claim for the Rating Game?"

She huffed, "If only it were that simple. I'd have done it if I could. But, really Dragoon-chan, you're my So-tan's one and only hope."

Just mentioning her depressed him. It made him remember how badly he had fucked up and how their relationship was shattered.

Her words still hurt him. Mostly because he knew she was right.

"Good night, Dragoon-chan," Serafall dismissed him with a wave. "You shouldn't keep your entourage waiting."

*Scene*

He didn't get to continue the date like he had hoped. Too many things had happened today that stressed him out and he couldn't focus on Rias. Not for a lack of trying, but Rias was just as bothered as he was. They decided, much to their own irritation, to reschedule their date when things were a bit more jovial. She went off with Akeno… somewhere, and Issei discussed plans with Amelia as they walked around the boulevard.

Everyone else went home, deciding it would be best to leave him alone while he conversed with his Queen on tactics. However, neither of the two could come with a way on dealing with Rolan. Issei's authority as a Demon Lord was nothing more than a fancy title. He had no real power in the political scheme of things and thus couldn't oppose Rolan other than the Rating Game. Trying to take him on as another Predator was also a plan doomed to failure.

It grated on his nerves on how _useless_ he was in these situations. Every other Predator had some sort of political influence. Even as a slave did Amelia have a substantial amount of say-so during the prime of the Church. He was just being tugged along on a leash by Serafall.

What happened to the good ol' days where all he needed to do was smash his fist across someone's face and all his problems would go away?

"Master, Ise, I'm coming in."

He was still fuming by the time he had gotten home and went straight for the bath. Scrubbing himself clean usually made his tense body relax. Splashing cold buckets of water over his head usually did the trick, especially now that his body seemed to be ten times as sensitive to the cold as before. Something having to do with being a cold-blooded reptile… or something like that. He didn't understand the amount of changes his body was going through and stopped trying to keep track of them.

He didn't have to struggle to keep his eyes facing forward when Amelia came in… with just a towel covering her modesty. Her hair was up in a bun, which revealed her lovely face. It was both fear and respect for his fellow Predator that kept him in line from ogling her. That, and he was still so upset over everything today.

Strangely, he was mostly upset over the image of Rolan presenting those flowers to Serafall. It bothered him to no end.

"I will wash your back," Amelia declared instead of asking for permission.

It was a good thing he had a towel wrapped around his waist beforehand. He had thought Asia or one of the other girls would come in. But it would seem they were either busy or wanting to leave him alone.

He said nothing as Amelia took the sponge and began to work. There was nothing sensual about her actions, merely dutiful.

"Ise," she abruptly stopped. "Thank you."

"I made a promise to you," he said. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Not even that asshole Rolan will get to you."

He could have sworn he heard her giggle. _Giggle._ But he imagined it. He'd never heard her laugh and his sharp ears would have picked up the sound at this close of a distance.

"You've no idea how grateful I am to you," she continued. She moved around to kneel at his side so to look at his face. "I am aware of your struggle. You shouldn't feel guilt for anything. It was me who left the Church knowing well of the repercussions. Their blood is on my hands, not yours."

"Amy, that doesn't exactly make me feel any better."

"I know," she nodded once. "I cannot take that away from you. I am the culprit in this, and I believe I should be the one taking responsibility for this."

He eyed her, "Do you think you can convince Rolan to stop?"

She shook her head. "He is beyond conversing. He has put in too much effort and his stubbornness won't allow him to stop, even if it would mean self-destruction. But it is not the genocide I am referring to. I was talking about you and… this."

She pressed two fingers to his chest. A tender touch with a lot of meaning put into it.

He sighed and waved her off, "I'll manage. I'll think of something. I don't know what or how but I really can't sit back and let this go on. Maybe… Maybe the Red Blur can…"

He let the idea die in his throat.

"It's foolish to think you can carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, Ise," she chided but with a gentle tone. "There is also nothing wrong with asking for help. You have Serafall Leviathan as a consort. And you have the resources of the Gremory. And… you have me."

Her fingers were still on his chest. In the next instant, she gave him a light push that was deceptively powerful. It would have knocked him off his stool hadn't his senses warned him beforehand.

She was straddling before he could get back up, sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. There was nothing passionate in her eyes. Nothing charming, sexual, or affectionate. Just sheer and utter determination.

"…What are you doing?" he demanded through a shaky voice. For one, if anyone walked in right now they would misunderstand the situation and he would be in a _hell_ of trouble. And two, it was ridiculously hard to not get a boner from something like this. He didn't want Amelia to curse him from something he had little to no control over.

Her towel had slipped off. His eyes were twitching, restraining from glimpsing down. He saw the line just below her collar where her breasts started. Every fiber of his being was demanding of him to catch a glimpse, fuck the consequences! But this was _the Divine Beast_.

He might not remember what happened in the Vatican, but his body surely did.

"Fulfilling my duties, Ise," she answered matter-of-factly. "When I swore to be your Queen I understood situations like this would arise. I had hoped to avoid them but I think I'm afraid it's inevitable. There is simply no end to your perversions and not even my wards are peerless."

"This isn't my fault!" he protested with alarm. "Look! Look! My hands! I'm not touching anything!"

"Just this once," Amelia went on. "I will permit this to happen just this once. Only because I feel obliged to reward you for today's activities."

His head was spinning. He didn't understand this woman _at all._ First she shoots down his perverted habits and in the next she's encouraging them.

"I can't do this," his tongue began to tie itself as his brain searched for a better excuse. "R-Rias! Asia! That's right! Them! I can't do this to them!"

"…Is that why you will not lay with Irina and Xenovia?" Amelia tilted her head with something he assumed to be curiosity. It was hard to tell with her frozen expression.

"Yes," he found his determination. Now he tried to be firm about this. "They're the first girlfriends I've ever had and I'm not going to do anything to lose them!"

But Amelia didn't move from her spot. She only stared at him. Gradually, his instincts began to grow louder and louder as something dark flashed in her eyes. He said the wrong thing.

"Then tell them I forced you," irritation had slipped out of her tone.

His body went stiff and rigid as his back hit the floor. He couldn't move. She had struck him with a sin that prevented him from moving. Sensation continued to work his nerves and the best he could do was make his limbs quiver from the strain. It was as though she had chained him down to the floor.

"They're not going to believe _you_ forced _me_!" he argued.

"…Most likely," she agreed, but didn't bother to stop.

She was off of him, but not for the reason he had hoped.

Because in the next instant she was kneeling at his front and slowly unwrapping the towel around his waist.

"Master, you may as well enjoy this. There is no avoiding it at this point."

*Scene*

Rias Gremory tapped the little wand, waiting for it to change colors. This was the fifth one and had made sure to pick different brands in case the same box had been faulty. She followed the directions to the letter, had chugged an insurmountable amount of water to the point of feeling bloated, and did as the foldup papers said.

The appropriate time came and the twin markers appeared.

She wasn't sure what to feel at this instant. But this was the fifth test that told her she wasn't pregnant. A part of her was relieved but the other half was equally disappointed. But, really, she knew she was too young to be with child.

If she wasn't pregnant… what the hell were Archmage Royals and Predator Rolan talking about?

 _This_ is what she ended date night early for? Her frustrations knew no bounds this evening.

She made sure to destroy the evidence with her Devilry— Akeno would badger her to no end about this if she found out or _thought_ anything of her. Fortunately, she had sent everyone home and Rias hadn't been gone long enough for anyone to come looking for her. And she chose to return to the clubroom, using the excuse that she needed to relieve some stress for herself. It hadn't been a complete lie.

"Ah, are you feeling well, Buchou?" Yuuto asked as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom. "You were in there for a bit."

She nearly jumped from surprise. "Kiba! I didn't realize you were…"

She gasped as soon as she saw the condition he had been in. He was wrapped in bandages and there was dried blood on his clothes. The box of first-aid was still open on the coffee table.

"Kiba… what happened to you?"

He offered her a smile and a piece of ruffled paper. He made a gesture of silence while he directed his gaze to his lap.

Sleeping on his right thigh was the blonde-haired Excalibur. He combed his fingers through her hair.

There was affection with the way he looked at her. Something that he had _never_ done to the little girl before. Rias wasn't blind to have seen the way he neglected her. He had cursed Excalibur with every fiber of his being and had dedicated his life to one day seeking revenge for it. It was the prime reason he accepted her deal in becoming a Devil.

And now… he was petting her with unusual warmth.

She took the letter and began to read it with some skepticism. The further she got the more her eyes became wide with anger… and just as much confusion.

"That letter was addressed to you or Ise-kun," Yuuto said. "But it looks like I got here before you got the chance to read it."

It was a ransom letter, demanding the Dragoon Predator come to the designated area or else Yuuto will be dead. He was promised to be released as soon as Issei showed up and didn't care if Rias or anyone else arrived as well. But if Issei didn't show up while the others did, Yuuto would have been killed.

Yuuto gave an ironic laugh, "How about that, huh? I managed to kill Kokabiel before you guys even realized I was gone."

* * *

 _ **The Outsiders…**_

There an infinite amount of Worlds out there. Each one unique in their own way; some exceptionally similar with only one insignificant variant while others are as diverse as night and day. But all Worlds follow a set of rules— Laws— devised by the higher beings revered as Originals, and their lesser counterparts, the Primordial Ones. Just as one World is a nexus of information, forming a singular system, this matrix of Worlds when united forms a grand weave that gives shape to an _omniverse._

Outsiders are beings who do not follow _any_ of our Laws, because they exist _outside_ of our omniverse. For you see, Outsiders have their own network of progenitors that decide how their Laws work— some don't have Originals or Primordials but something unique only belonging and understandable to them.

Outsiders cannot exist within our realm of existence. This is because the Laws cannot register and comprehend their existence. Their alien programming is incompatible with ours, even if some Outsiders are frightening similar to us. Any attempt for an Outsider to enter and remain in our domain would terminate its existence as well as leaving a deep scar on our foundations.

It's similar to trying to insert a cassette into a sandwich and expecting one of the two to dance.

However, there are some exceptions to this. First, and foremost, an Outsider must be invited by one natural denizen of the omniverse (referred to as an Insider). Second, a vessel must be given for the Outsider to host. Not every Outsider will be compatible with this host. Just as we, as human beings, cannot live without some sort of life support system.

But, when successful, the Outsider may walk among us. And they carry with them the secrets of their realm not bound by our Originals or Primordials.

Sometimes the Outsider goes mad (or something similar to) due to the culture shock and thereof lack of understand of our system.

Or, sometimes, the Outsider _learns_ and can easily function just as we do.


	4. Eighth, the Siege Perilous

**AN: Did you know it's a tradition of mine to include our notorious Vampire in the fourth chapter of every Act of the Synthesis series (the name of the series the Predators originate from, for those who aren't in the know)? Well, we can't have that now that he's dead, can we? But tradition must follow! Sadly, there is no Vampire in this story. There never will be. He's dead. Period.**

 **...Doesn't mean I still can't follow tradition though. Ah, loopholes.**

 **Moonlit Emperor, for those of you who keep pestering me about it, will be updated after I have posted chapter 5 of this story. After that I'll decide (via The Coin, may praises be upon it) whether to update Broken Rules or Heart of Glass. And then return to this story.**

 **Last... For those of the Traveler's Roost, I'll get to your questions eventually. I promise. Though I'm sure by the time I do get around to it will you guys have more questions for me.**

 **Last, LAST (for sure this time), I'm asking everyone. Simply to be fair. But who do you want Issei to develop with next? I'm not talking about a quick shag like... whatever it was Amelia did. I'm talking about a heart-to-heart mini-arc.**

 **And, no, Sona doesn't apply. I've already something planned for her.**

 **Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

Archibald Lolifor was, arguably, the most powerful creature to walk this planet. That included, of course, after evaluating his seven— correction, _six_ other peers. A few years ago and he wouldn't have had need to debate with himself over the truth of this matter. Without a doubt the most powerful beings to roam this planet had been the Earth Mother (who _was_ the planet itself) and her antithesis, the Heavenly Father. As the eons went those two evolved, making the other more powerful after every strife. Compared to them Archibald was merely a toddler, even in his grand age of a few hundred-thousand years.

He was the Incarnation of Humanity. He _was_ humanity even before the two-legged mammals had begun to mutate from protozoa. Back then, the Earth Mother was young and untamed and so raw it was a wonder how he and the other lesser Incarnations managed to survive her cruel and barbaric rein. Many of his brothers and sisters were extinct, unable to withstand the planet's impossible (yet fair) culmination process.

Oh yes, there were other Incarnations out there other than he. There was at least one per species as well as a force of nature. Just the other day he had some tea with the Incarnation of Equinox, a lithe woman who had fallen from her pedestal and lived the twilight of her life as, hilariously and somewhat depressingly, as the myth revered to his people as… Santa Clause.

As the Incarnation to Humanity, Archibald had the authority to rule over everything pertaining to the little accident (let's be blunt and not lie as to what they really are) that mutated into homo-sapiens. He wasn't so much their _god_ (and he sneered at those who confused him as such) but more so their ruling lord. He directed their growth such as an architect should design the layout of a building and let the manual labor work things out based on his two-dimensional design, while reaping _all_ of the benefits… and some penalties on those occasions he messed up.

He was as human as any other. He wasn't perfect.

Anything a human could do was something he could grasp and perfect in an instant. As soon as the crude idea of tying a sharp rock to the end of a tree branch was formed was he able to understand the fundamentals of weaponry and how to make things vastly more efficient. Within a short span of time was the art of smithing introduced.

What was truly frightening was his rate of growth. It took only a few millennia for him to ascend to an equal rank as the Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father. Sure, there had been human Predators in the ancient world but now was humanity as a collective whole able to stand up against the two of the most primeval forces the world had always known. It hadn't happened at the discovery of nuclear power, no. It had happened as early as the Industrial Revolution when Man had created produced that polluted the air and had become ignorant of the nonsensical superstition of religion.

Now, the Earth Mother did not like that very much. She had always been the apex creature, having been able to overcome her great adversary a few centuries afore, and sought to challenge Archibald. Well, "challenge" was the wrong word but she knew nothing better having always been so wild and primitive in everything she's done. Unchanging, as well. Eons since her birth from molten rock had made her more potent in her ways but _never_ adapting or gaining an immunity to the bacteria growing within her flesh.

He got under her skin. The result was the current Queen Regent to the vampires (to _all_ vampires hence the blood of the earth coursed through her veins), his favorite daughter. But that's another story and he was becoming distracted reminiscing on the past.

To get back on track, Archibald was aware of the day the Earth Mother fell to a human who hadn't been born on this planet. He came from elsewhere. But because that young man made this world his home was Archibald able to peer inside the madness of his mind and understand the level of threat he was to the Earth Mother. She was frightened of this creature (it bothered Archibald to admit this _thing_ was among the human kind) and her fear brought about her downfall.

Thus, did both authorities of the Earth Mother and the ones she usurped from the Heavenly Father transfer over to the young man. Ironically, the system that was the World and its Ruler acknowledged this man as… the Vampire Predator.

Years passed, as they always did. Conflicts came and went, as they always did. Archibald was sitting in his luxurious office chair playing solitaire on his phone while his mind was split on a billion other problems— quite literally. He already knew he would lose this game because the damn deck was shuffled poorly and the stupid Jack of Spades wouldn't be found until he pulled a Five of Hearts to transfer— he played anyways just to pass time.

He had been fully aware the World was tugging at him, pressuring him into perform his duties as First Predator. But he didn't budge from his seat. He was more of a commanding officer than a soldier. And he performed his task to the bare minimum (he knew the problem wouldn't be solved even if he threw in all of his attention) and manipulated events enough for the Dragon Slayer and the Divine Beast to be present in Japan. And he _may have_ suggested a thing or two to his personal chef, the Vampire, to take some time off and say hello to his mother and spend some quality time with his dear friend, that Rolan fellow.

One thing led to another and now one of Archibald's attention senses was paying mild interest to the tussle between the Vampire and the Dragoon Predators. The math was in his head. All the calculations pointed out that the Vampire would be victorious. There was a miniscule of a chance the Dragoon would triumph, even with the assistance of the Vorpal Archibald had given him (personally handed by Ludwig, little known by the Dragon Slayer himself). It was experience that had the Vampire with the biggest numbers. The Vampire had survived autrocities the Dragoon had nothing to defend himself against.

But… Archibald had already made preparations anyways for the outcome. The appropriate courtesies were gathered and already on their way. All that was needed to do was finish this game and make a flight to California in order to deliver the news.

And there it was— what he had been waiting for.

The unexpected always happened, which, ironically, was what he had expected all along. A predictably unpredictable irregularity had been performed by Predator Philips— one of the few humans Archibald had _no_ control over— and thus delivered the critical wound that tipped all the scales over for the Dragoon's favor. It was a nice finish; a few parting words delivered by the Dragoon that would have been remarkably interesting had anyone else been there to record them for publication.

He already knew of all the repercussions of their little brawl. All the calamity they had caused left humanity shaken up— nothing more than one returning home and finding out someone had broken in, which the host would recover from in due time but shall never forget. Humanity was always easy to scare… but that's what made them the apex creatures that had surpassed both the Earth Mother and Heavenly Father.

He paused in his planning on the flight— taking commercial in order to converse with the passengers rather than business or private liners. He had been in the midst of coordinating recovery in what would in the next few days deemed as 'the Red Storm' when something even more unexpected had happened to him.

It was as though the keys to some grand mansion he hadn't been aware of by an uncle he didn't know existed had been handed over to him by decree of the relative's will upon his passing. It baffled him— enough for him to stop everything he had been doing to examine what had been handed over to him through means of an invisible transfer route.

Both authorities of the Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father had fallen upon his lap.

Now, as the Incarnation of Humanity, Archibald had no idea what to do with such a deed. He likened it to a lawyer from the Bronx suddenly in possession of a sheep plantation from a successful lawsuit. What did he know about how to run the planet? Archibald was the representation of _humanity_ and all their concepts. He had no clue how to guide the forces of nature or the invisible energies of divinity. Was this handed to him because in the hierarchy he was the next in line?

Still… it was quite the prize. He pocketed it for later review.

Where was he…? Ah yes. He was in front of the door of a small, modest, and yet astonishingly welcoming home of a retired couple housed in a quiet mountain town. He knocked, checked himself over and the gift basket though knew everything had always been immaculate, and waited patiently.

When the adorably sweet aged woman opened the door, it almost broke his heart to be the bearer of such news.

"Hello my dear," he greeted with a soft, somber smile. "You remember me, yes? We met at the Christmas party for your youngest son. I am afraid… I am going to be the bearer of some terrible news…"

And thus began Phase 7 of prevention of the Evensong. The World may yell at him as much as it wanted to get onto the field of battle but _this_ was where Archibald shed blood. _This_ was there he performed feats of legend in the name of protecting the World and its Ruler.

It briefly saddened him of the amount of people who will die. By the hands of Rolan in his crusade to remove Heaven— the humans, in this case; Archibald couldn't care less about those _Angels—_ as well as those who had little to nothing to do with the Evensong and the enemies of the World.

But people always die. His moment of grief passed.

Perhaps, when the worst of the storm had gone through, he may do something for the Dragoon for being at the center of all this.

*Scene*

In the most ancient part of the world, there is a well. A rather crude and archaic well that has no business being there. There hadn't been civilization in this land since the dawn of man, let alone _any_ civilization for a few hundred miles in any direction. Nor had it ever been properly designed to be a well. Even the most primitive of cavemen in the ancient world knew how to dig a hole deep enough until they hit _something._

The purpose of this hole had been something more than what the occasional adventurer who got lost interpreted it as. There had been a grand battle that took place in these lands. To the humans who had once built the first tribe, who had been gathered by their gods from the stars, a 'battle' was the incorrect word. It failed to describe the impossible feats they bore witness to.

What gathering of people had been here had been wiped clean from existence, never to be remembered as the world went on. They had been purged by an all-cleansing tide while the agents of Heaven slew their gods. Their gods, the first of the Fallen who rebelled against Heaven, had been punished severely with the worst of their kind— unable to die as they were just as grand and raw as those newborn Angels— had been locked away.

The purpose of this hole had been their prison.

Time passed and a pagan stumbled upon this land. An adventurer with eyes who could peer into the cosmos, could manipulate the forces of nature with his fingertips, and could command the shadows to do his bidding. He was an Acolyte to the Daydream and he had been on an adventure to seek the truth of the planet he had been born into. Upon aimless wandering did he arrive at this land, breaking through the seals of Heaven that warded off any wanderer such as himself, and had slain any of the guardians who appeared before him to cease any advancing.

It was he who broke the final seal and awoke the Grigori leaders.

But when the Fallen Strength of God offered him a reward, the man only asked to make this hole his home. A most strange request, indeed, but was obliged.

The man, revered as the Warden of the Well in this day and age, had dedicated his existence to using this fortress as a vault to the greatest and worst secrets of the world. Time and again he would wander around the planet once something had gained his attention and bring it back here, safeguarding it from the wrongful hands. Many factions, be they the mundane governments to the arcane orders, delivered the things they could not control to the Well.

Such as the damned they had no means of killing.

Finding the Well wasn't difficult. Everyone who knew the existence of this hole knew where to find it. Getting in was also laughably easy— it was a single drop into seemingly perpetual darkness that no torch could penetrate, not even captured sunlight— as there were no protections preventing anyone (or anything) from entering.

Getting out wasn't even a concept that existed in the Well. Not because there was a protection system preventing the inmates from escaping. It was because of the things lurking within the Well that typically killed any strangler who was stupid enough to jump in. That, and the Warden who was the only one capable of navigating without trouble.

But, usually, such things only applied to things that _followed the rules._

If anyone were to ask, Josh would try to recall what this 'rules' thing was as if they were a one-night stand with some café waitress some few weeks ago. And then he would reply with 'Oh yeah, that… particular thing. I think I remember that.'

There was a unique… mystery that applied within the walls of the Well. The simple truth that _nothing worked._ Bring in guns and they won't fire. Hound magic and the energies will collapse. Strike a match and it will never ignite. It was how and why the mighty Fallen could not escape their rather spacious prison. For though they wielded the world-breaking miracles of Heaven, they were rendered helpless. All the Laws of the World ceased to function in this realm.

The remedy for this was for Josh to impose his own rules into the Well.

The beasts came at him, bearing fangs and claws that could render phantasmal flesh into mush. He waved a hand and they flew aside. The shadows that devoured all forces of life came viciously at him, starved and driven mad by the stench of him. They were ripped apart with another gesture.

Josh wore a mask over his face. One unlike any other, though it could easily be confused with something found in the mundane world. To the observer, it appeared to be an iron mask not unfound in the primitive gladiator matches of Ancient Rome. The theatrical sort that was used to frightened the crowds as well as the untrained slaves rather than for any actual protection. But it was not made of any material found on the planet despite its deceiving similarity to iron.

It was crafted out of Josh's imagination. Pure, untainted, energy pried out of his mind and exposed to the real world… or whatever world that the Well was comprised of.

With another gesture, he flung open a door that could never be seen even by his Acolyte eyes. He also didn't believe it was truly there but he felt the tug as his affinity tugged against something that felt like a door. He continued to walk through the ocean of darkness with all things invisible to him including himself. The glow of his mask at the edge of his vision was the only thing he could perceive and only due to its dreamy materialization.

He was quickly getting tired— the cost of imposing _his_ concepts onto the outside for such a long period of time. But he had a goal in mind and, according to the dreams he had a few nights ago, he was nearing his destination. It was a good thing the Warden was out— or somewhere deeper in the Well— because Josh wouldn't want to deal with that guy in his home turf.

He knocked his knuckles against a wall of sorts, like how he had done in his dream. He couldn't tell if it was a solid wall, a door, or a cage of some sort. "Hey, bro, you there?"

There hadn't been a response. But he knew he had the attention of his eldest brother.

"Ma got some bad news awhile back," Josh continued without waiting for the response. "Tubs is dead. His boss came and told her he got mugged… or some shit like that. Did some searching myself and found out he had gotten whacked by one of his friends."

Now here was where the dream had ended. It was up to Josh to lead events in the way he wanted. The dream had only told him where to find the eldest brother of their little clan.

"…And?" questioned a voice from the dark.

Excitement and fear shivered through Josh. For one, he had gotten his attention by using the 'family' card. Every one of the brothers looked out for the other. Even someone as isolated as this one. But now that he had gotten his attention, it was critical for Josh to not appear to be wasting his time.

There was a reason why their eldest brother was in the Well and not the youngest deemed as the Vampire.

"You know," Josh rubbed his face, his fingers slipping through the dreamy material of the mask like mist, "thought about getting the family back together. Half of us are already comforting Ma— she's pretty hysterical about all of it. But some of us others are thinking about, you know."

"Revenge," drawled the eldest brother, tiredly, with impatience.

"Nah, bro," Josh waved it off. "Tubs was old enough to take care of himself. What happened to him was his own doing. I was just thinking about hosting a family reunion, having a few drinks, sharing our favorite stories about Ma's Tubsie-Wubsie, and playing a few games. That whole bit."

It bothered him how quiet his brother was. He wasn't sure whether he had lost his attention or if he had doomed himself.

"What would you need me to bring?" the eldest ask, as one would inquire whether to stop at the grocer and pick up a few necessities.

"Just yourself," Josh breathed out a sigh of relief. "I've already scouted the area and all that. Got Gabe working on the assortments. Just gotta see which of the others are going to show up."

He nearly jumped when he felt something pat against his shoulder. He hadn't been able to detect anything with his powers creating a field. It was a giant's hand that could have wrapped around his whole head— one just as big as the fat lard they were doing all this for.

A face appeared, inches away from his. An obsidian face carved from the same deceptive dream material as Josh's mask. It had appeared out of the black fog wrapped around the Well.

The eldest brother had slipped through his prison so to meet the face of his second-youngest.

"I'll see you then, Joshua."

The hand was lifted and the eldest slipped back into his cell.

"I'm counting on it, Manny," Josh rapped his knuckles against the invisible door before departing, tracing his steps in an almost drunken attempt to navigate back to the entrance.

It wasn't until he was back at the surface of the African wasteland did he realize he never gave Manuel the time and date of their gathering. But, then again, he _was_ a brother. He'd show up to the event at some point.

*Scene*

"The trick to avoiding these people…" Josh began to explain to his brother, Gabe, "is to not focus on them at all. Don't even pretend they don't exist. Don't even focus on those around them. See that red-head there in the window? Yeah, that one. Focus on _her._ "

Gabe gave a bored and tired sigh, which resulted in Josh slapping him across the face, which resulted in Gabe bringing his fist around, which resulted in… a few rounds of 'brotherly love'.

"What a stupid loophole," Gabe mumbled below his breath. "Can't we just, I don't know, walk up to them and get it over with? I've got things to do."

"Hey," Josh snarled but didn't beat his brother again. "Show some respect. We're doing this for Tubs."

"But isn't there a better way?" whined Gabe, his voice echoing through his powers as an Acolyte. It had no effect on Josh who was on a higher tier in power as well as having grown a tolerance to his brother's constant whining. "I loved ****** as much as anyone else. But I've got things to do and can't waste my time playing spy."

A group of migrating birds flying overhead suddenly dropped dead. They crashed down on the roof of the building they had been lurking. One landed on Josh's shoulder— he brushed it aside in a dismissive gesture as if this had happened a hundred-thousand time before. And it had. It happened whenever anyone outside their circle invoked the name of their youngest brother.

The look Josh gave Gabe made the young man sigh with resignation. "Fine, fine. I'll keep watch. Anything else I'm supposed to know?"

Josh leaned against the railing and pointed outwards. "She's not there but don't even think about one of them. That's the trick. You can talk about anyone else, write down what they do, but the _instant_ your attention is on any of the Predators will they know you're looking at them. Don't fuck this up, Gabriel."

"Yeah, yeah," Gabe groaned as he flipped open a notepad Josh had given him. "I'll keep watch over them. Basic stuff. Their habits, who they talk to, what they eat and shop at, their schedule, all that boring stuff. Be out as soon as I realize they're going to meet one of _them._ "

"No, keep watch over the red one," Josh pointed out. "Even if one of them show up. Just make sure not to _focus_ on one of them."

"You mean I have to stay on her ass the entire time?" he whined again. "I don't know, man. That sounds like a lot of work."

"It'll be worth it in the end. Manny's coming so everything needs to meet his expectations."

It was amusing watching the color from Gabe's face drain.

"Fucking Manny's coming…" Gabe muttered in a soft ghostly whisper. "Fuck. Alright, fine. I'll do it. What're you doing then?"

"Stirring the pot?" Josh shrugged with a half-suggestion half-answer. "I'll be back in a week, alright? Manny and I are going to get some more supplies. You know how he is, always wanting to bring shit so to have an excuse to blame us if things aren't up to par. But, really, I think he's just bored out of his mind."

"Manny can escape whenever he wants," Gabe countered.

"Gets boring when you have the means to do almost anything," Josh replied, half towards Gabe and the other half saying such about himself. "No one keeps him locked down there and yet he always goes back there. I mean, I always go back to cooking even when I have the power to forge my own goddamn empire. You'll understand if you ever become a Candidate."

"Say that when you become a Predator," snapped Gabe while he jotted down his first line of notes.

Ah, Gabe. An Acolyte of the Sound affinity and just one shy step away from unlocking the conceptual level of his abilities. Josh believed he didn't take that final step on purpose. After all, Gabe used his affinity to understand people, to manipulate them and to get them to do just about anything he wanted. Gabe understood how everyone thought. It was why Josh gave him this job.

"Fuck that," Josh pushed himself off the railing. "No one wants to be a Predator. Not even the Predators. And those stupid enough to desire it don't know what sort of fucked-up life it is. Nah, I like being the bachelor not anchored to the World. I'll see you in a week, Gabe, and tell you what you need to do next."

Gabe gave a bored nod, his eyes never looking away from Rias Gremory and her click from the top of the skyscraper, all the way across the city, and through the window of Kuoh Academy some fifty miles away. Through the forest of trees that blocked the academy, at that. The amazement of Acolytes and their perfect vision could even spot the slight wrinkle of her uniform and read the lips of the words she shared with her peerage.

*Scene*

"Papa! Look what Cali-chan drew today!"

"Uh huh," Yuuto nodded as he brushed past the sword apparition.

Excalibur puffed her cheeks and scowled, having been ignored. Her _father_ (though he was more of a mother if you wanted to be technical) was always like this as soon as they were alone. He only pretended to care for her for the sake of appearances. He smiled, treated her to things (if only to distract her), and let her need for attention grab a hold of him. But behind closed doors when it was just the two of them in his apartment, he didn't so much as glance at her.

He no longer smiled. The mask was put down in a neat little mental box while he performed his chores around the place. He cooked, he cleaned, he did his homework, but he pretended like she didn't exist.

Excalibur fumed but was never distraught. Her heart ached but it didn't throb. If anything, his lack of interest pushed her to try harder.

"Look!" she brought the picture up when he passed through the hallway again. "It's everyone in the club! I even included Ise-kun!"

That had gotten his attention, she noticed. His eyes had glimpsed at the crayon portrait for a brief instant. Only an instant. His eyes flickered away with disinterest as he carried on with his chores.

She decided to pin the paper to the fridge. He would have to see it when he started to cook tonight.

When it was supper time (he didn't call for her but set a plate for her anyways), she was sour to find out her drawing had been removed, crumbled, and thrown in the trash.

…At least he didn't shred it this time.

Supper, as it usually was, was eaten in silence. Or, to better clarify, without response. She chatted away about the things she had picked up observing through his life. Things including those poor maidens who will never have her Papa's love, the inaccuracies of his history lectures, and the conversations she shared on a daily basis with onee-samas Akeno, Koneko, Asia, and Rias. The best she ever got was a brief gruff.

He waited for her to finish her meal before cleaning the table and the dishes. A sad worry knotted her stomach— how long would it be before he stopped serving her meals in general? She knew he didn't have the heart to fully ignore her but sooner or later he will come to understand that she didn't need these sort of organic life necessities. She was, at her core, a sword.

How long would it be until he got annoyed with her and locked her away, forever?

To avoid such a time— isolation wasn't the fear but the heartbreak was— she tried to find that one chink in his armor. There must be _some sort_ of soft spot he had.

"Papa, I've prepared the bath," she announced.

"Go on ahead," he said while his head was bowed, focused on his homework. "I've still got a few things to work on before I call it a night."

A predictable response. She could work with this, still.

She gasped, feigning horror. "Surely Papa doesn't mean to drink the water that Cali-chan has soaked her body in?! Has Papa fallen for the dark side?!"

His pen stopped scribbling with his lips twitching. In the next instant he was back to work.

It was the best response she was going to get from him this evening. Maybe tonight she'll sneak into his bed (again) and cuddle with him after he fell asleep. But knowing anything further would antagonize him, Excalibur gathered her things and went into the bathroom.

Yuuto massaged his temple as he felt the headache coming along. It grated on him how he felt a strain on his mind whenever there was a certain amount of distance between he and Excalibur. He didn't understand how it worked but he knew well enough to understand he and Excalibur were, frustratingly and infuriatingly, _one._ She was his Sacred Gear with an artificial intelligence and will of her own. She was his Sword Birth.

He could not live without her. She was the only thing keeping her alive and it sent torrents of pain through his body whenever they were separate at great distances. If she was more than twenty-five meters he would be on the floor gasping in pain.

The wound inflicted by the Vampire had never healed. It had only been hastily patched over, preventing his soul from bleeding out.

He was seething in outrage when he first felt the invisible cord between them. It told him everything he needed to know. He should have been nothing more than a husk of his former self— he had simply lost too much of his life energy to have a chance in recovering. But it was _Excalibur_ who had gradually transferred some of her own perpetually generating energies into his being. She was the thing that had nurtured him back to good enough health.

Excalibur. His jaw clenched whenever he was reminded the thing he had sworn vengeance against was the thing that was keeping him alive.

He also couldn't help himself. A part of him wanted to treat the little girl nicely. But he could not see the thing as a little girl. Whenever he looked at that face, he did not see the younger female version of himself as though she really were his… _daughter._ All he saw were his friends from the orphanage.

…And all the naught they had died brutally for.

The sound of her voice was like nails to a chalkboard. _This_ was Excalibur. _This_ was the reason he had become a Devil and sought revenge. He had sworn to destroy the Fragments if they ever presented themselves to him. And here it was, all seven of them gathered into a neat pile and given into a _very_ fragile state of being.

His Devil strength could have him breaking her neck in a heartbeat.

But he never found the courage nor the heart to do it. There would be no satisfaction, he knew. There was no point in seeking revenge for his friends. Too many things had presented itself for him to understand where his anger should be directed against.

In the end, he couldn't tell whether he should hate Excalibur for being the purpose of his tragic childhood… or the Predators for formulating the entirety of the Holy Sword Project.

Yuuto stopped working, leaned against the back of his chair, and looked up at the top shelf that held his mediocre movie collection. At the left side sat the plush doll in likeness to Excalibur. And on the right sat the plush doll in likeness to himself… without the hundred needles. Yuuto wasn't ignorant to not notice the pathetic attempt of voodoo. Though he pretended his friend wasn't genuinely trying to kill him.

He did not blame Issei for anything. Issei was as much a victim as Yuuto was. He had his parents torn away and was forced to face the object of his nightmares twice. The Predators has as much to do against Issei as Yuuto had gone through.

But here Yuuto was, unsure of himself. Regardless of who he hated the most, he hadn't an idea of how to direct that anger. He couldn't simply just swear vengeance against the Predators. They were monsters. It was also highly unlikely they would be around should Yuuto dedicate the agonizingly long life of a Devil to train for such a day.

He didn't know what to do. The reason for becoming a Devil had been to patiently await the day he could get back at the Church for what they had done. But even that was being robbed of him with Predator Rolan attacking every faction of the Church and Heaven. So, Yuuto found himself in this stasis of limbo. He woke up, he went to school, he performed his duties as a Devil, and then he returned home to rinse and repeat the cycle.

…Along with his newest roommate.

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as the balcony window shattered open as well as a large chunk of the wall. The force of the burst knocked him off his feet. But he was spry; he bounced as soon as he hit the floor and jumped up into a crouching position. His senses were screaming at him at the impending danger. His body recognized the poisonous miasma belonging to the forces of light.

"Hello, Holy Sword vessel."

His eyes widened as he recognized the voice.

Kokabiel strolled in, his wings flexing to wave away the dust he had created in his initial attack. He was dressed in a new black suit, pressed and primed as if ready to attend a grand party for the rich and famous. But everything about him was… wrong. Half his face was frozen with a dense layer of ice, leaving the right eye wide in a scowl of rage and lips parted in a silent scream. And yet, in contrast, the entirety of his left side was calm, soothing, charming and suave.

He extended a hand, reaching out to Yuuto. Only, it was no hand. It was a claw made entirely out of ice. A thick layer of frost coated the cuff of his jacket.

"I'd tell you to try and not struggle," Kokabiel cackled with a sneer. "But then this wouldn't be as fun."

There was a second concussion at his back. It had come from the bathroom.

Excalibur had forgone any subtlety in the name of urgency and had blasted the door open with some sort of holy shockwave. Her dress was in the midst of materializing around her while she was still drenched from the bathwater. She did not hesitate. As soon as she was out of the door with clear sight of the invader from the hallway, twin orbs of light glowed at her palms.

"MOVE!" she bellowed with the voice that did not belong to an innocent little girl, but to a commander who had faced the grit of a hundred battlefields. Those who disobeyed wouldn't meet her wrath but rather the cruel misfortune of what transpired to the losers of the battlefield.

Yuuto didn't hesitate. He dove just as two beams of holy energy surged passed him. He could feel his skin flare with pain as the heat barely missed him.

Kokabiel had heard the warning as well. His sneer shifted to one of primal pleasure as he extended a hand to meet with her attack.

The beams struck at his open palm. Sprays of light scattered everywhere like streams of water splashing over a hard surface. They tore apart their surroundings but did nothing more than rip the sleeve of Kokabiel's jacket.

The smile grew. Kokabiel flexed his hand and _gripped_ the united beams as if they were solid.

They froze with ice traversing up the beam and quickly reaching Excalibur.

She dropped her attack and moved to another offensive strike. Her body flickered with the speeds that surpassed anything Yuuto could produce as a Knight. She was a singular blur of light as she shot from the hallway straight for Kokabiel.

"Gack!"

Her fingers had protruded tiny flames of light, almost liken to claws. She had intended to attack him up close but Kokabiel had been able to keep track of her movements. In one instant he had been dealing with her prior attack and in the next his hand had shot up and gripped tightly around her neck. It was as if the frame from a cinema had skipped scenes all of a sudden.

She struggled. Or tried to. Disoriented for only an instant, she quickly recovered and extended her hand to blast another orb of light in his close proximity.

Except he wouldn't have any of that. With a flick of his wrist was there a grotesque sound of bones cracking.

The entirety of her being went limp.

Kokabiel let her drop with a dismissive toss. Before her body hit the floor did she dissolve into golden dust until they faded away into the nothingness.

No, Yuuto knew. He could feel their connection. He could call upon her again if he so chose, just like how he could create a sword with some demonic energy. The form she had in the real world was merely broken. If he willed it, he could make her appear once again.

But he didn't.

"What do you want?" he demanded. "You know my master will know about this. You set off the wards around my place. And Ise-kun will break you in half."

It was his only defense at this point. He simply couldn't stomach the idea of making Excalibur appear again. Even if it meant saving his own life.

Kokabiel's smile grew delighted. "That's exactly what I'm hoping for."

And the world went dark as the Fallen Angel's arm became a blur and Yuuto felt something hard smash into the side of his head.

*Scene*

"They're not coming for you," Excalibur said. "Kokabiel did something to those protections. The alarm didn't go off. It's been half a day already and it's a Sunday. Your friends are always on your own on these days which means Rias-oneesama won't check on you until school—"

"SHUT UP!" he bellowed. "SHUT UP! I don't want to hear anything _you_ have to say."

The world around them shifted into a consort of colors. There was no ground and yet they shifted between sitting and standing. Sometimes they were in a field of grass, of flowers, or weeds. Sometimes they were on the sandy shores of a beach, at the edge of a cliff to a canyon, or the icy tundra of a mountain valley. Sometimes they were on the cobbled streets of Victorian England, the dirt roads belonging to Ancient Rome, or the asphalt pavements of the modern era. Sometimes they were indoors with lavish furnishings of every era within a building of every architecture.

The world was constantly shifting. Here was where Yuuto dreamed. Having been rendered unconscious and dragged to parts unknown by Kokabiel. The blow should have only knocked him out for a few hours. But it was Excalibur, he knew, who kept him under for longer.

Because she was trying to talk to him.

Here, in his mind, he could not keep his emotions hidden from her.

"I hate you," a voice that was his but not his echoed. His lips hadn't moved but the voice had originated from him. "I despise you. I wish you had never been born, created, _whatever_ in the nine hells you are!"

"I know," she said in a low whisper. These words had been said and repeated hundreds of times. The repetition was starting to make her crack. She had been strong at the beginning, determined to convince him otherwise. She thought she could persuade him into seeing her for _who_ she was and not what the world had made her out to be.

But his hatred was too deep. It was no longer guided by reason or purpose. It had melded itself into his being and became a part of who he was. It was a deep scar she could not remove.

It hurt her.

"Papa," she tried once again.

"Don't call me that, you disgusting thing, I refuse to acknowledge you as a part of me."

Her voice hitched, faltering slightly. She breathed in and willed herself to carry on. "I am a sword. There is not much I can do on my own. I can protect you. I can get you out of here. But only if—"

"I will _never_ touch you," he hissed. "Do you think I can just forget everything you've done? Do you think I can forgive you for everything? That I'm to accept you? No, I will never accept you. If it wasn't for you my friends would still be alive!"

Yet more things she had heard from him before. She knew this before. She was a part of him and could read his heart. She had seen his memories and knew fully well of the events that transpired. "I accept that. You are right. Things would have been different had I been destroyed beyond repair at Camlain."

"Then leave me alone," he snarled, turning his back and walking away. "I want nothing to do with you. If I could live without you, I surely would."

It was not his words that hurt her the most. Those she could forgive him for, even if they had been like thorns wrapped around her heart. It was his anger talking, something he had no control over as it was what kept him alive for so long in this cold world.

It was him turning his back on her that made her flinch, made her eyes widen, made her voice release a small shriek, and made her hands clutch over her chest.

"DO YOU THINK I ENJOY THIS?!" she screamed.

He stopped walking. But he did not turn around.

"Do you think I _enjoy_ being the reason people have killed another over?! I was made to be your salvation! I am an instrument of _peace_! The Fae made me to build a utopia for humanity! But all Arthur did was use me for conquest! He wanted me to help him overthrow Rome and crown himself as emperor! I refused and he threw me away!"

The memories played in the background. The image of a golden-haired young man, no older than a _child,_ had spat at the greatest blade and picked up Rhongomynyad in the name of greed.

"When Rhon wasn't good enough he picked me up again," she was frazzled. She clutched her arms around her waist as though ready to be sick. "But not to save his kingdom. He did it to cut down his own Knights after they turned their back on him. So I broke. I couldn't be used like that. Not like that.

"I'm sorry your friends are dead," she sobbed, phantasmal tears of gold flowing out from her eyes. "I'm sorry they weren't the first. Do you know how many people have killed each other because of me? Do you know how much it hurts me? The point of my existence was to _protect._ I wasn't created to cut open people, I was created to protect humanity against things they couldn't protect themselves. And my existence has killed more people than it has saved! Do you understand what that's like?!"

She had lost her composure. She had lost her base of argument. Everything she said at this point was just noise to him. He wasn't listening.

"I don't pity you," the voice of his heart spoke.

"I don't want your pity," she snapped back. "I want your acceptance! I mean it every time I say I love you. I don't care if that love is never returned. I don't care if you never wield me. Father… please, just _look_ at me. Just once."

He didn't move. All she heard from him was jumbled noise. Not confusion. He simply didn't have an opinion to her words.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Her spirit broken, all the charisma she had as the centuries-old weapon crumbled apart. She fell to her knees and began to sob like the little girl she projected herself as. "Papa… I didn't kill your friends. It wasn't me. Why won't you look at me?"

"Because hating you is all I have left," he relented.

She sniffed, her teary eyes looked up at his back.

Her silence had been her reply. It had triggered his mind to speak from his heart. "I have nothing else to live for. I gave my life up to Buchou and became a Devil because I swore vengeance against you. I swore to kill those responsible for their deaths. But all of those were robbed from me. The Church is in ruins, the Predators are beyond my reach, and you… I need you to carry on. You're the only thing I can touch and I'm not sure destroying you is worth it.

"…I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

A part of her was frustrated. A part of her wanted to stomp her feet and demand him to _grow the fuck up._ A part of her wanted to turn her hands into blades and stab him.

But, the core of her, the part that made her a blade of peace and _not_ a weapon, had her understanding him. She sympathized.

It was what made her get up, cross the distance in an instant, and slip her hand into his. He flinched at her touch, pried his hand away, and crossed his arms. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him as best she could. Her small arms couldn't fully cover his waist. He tried to move away without touching her, but all it did was get her grip to tighten.

"I need to tell you something," she whispered. She shuttered. This… This was something she didn't want to share with him. This was an abomination. A poison. Something that will spiral him into a monster should he learn. But it would be needed. He was beyond all other means of saving.

One way to remove a scar was to tear it open and brand it.

"Your friends are with me," she said.

She sensed his confusion. And then his hatred arise when this dream world projected the images of the ones who perished in the Church facility. Their features were too detailed, more detailed than a memory should permit. It was because what she said was truth. It was her who was projecting their being onto this world.

" _King Oberon IV,_ " she said with venom, "ordered the execution of the Holy Sword Project. He may have shut it down but he _never_ disposed of the results. His friend, who wore the director's face, gathered the bodies of your friends and…"

She paused.

"…What?" his voice echoed with rage.

Was she really doing this? This won't make him love her. All this would do is make him hate something more than how he already hates her. And what she was about to tell him would make him hate her even more than he already did now, even when she had no control over it. She would forever be a reminder of the horror she was about to admit.

There was no turning back. She had already said too much.

"Their holy essence was implanted into me," she said. "It had been extracted out of them before their deaths. But… that's not all."

Another pause. She released her grip on him and took a few steps back. She needed to look directly at him for this. She nearly shuttered in fright when those eyes were gazing down at her. For the first time he was looking at her. But not for the reasons she had always craved.

"Their blood," she admitted. "When my Fragments were brought together and smelted with your Sword Birth, he made sure to have my vessel chilled in a bucket of their blood. The Vampire had preserved it for that single purpose."

It had maximized the alignment of their holy essence. Her body was as much theirs as it was Yuuto's. Her flesh was soaked with their blood and channeled their divine attributes. The blood of potential Saints and Paladins made her into what she was right now.

The effect of her words had been immediate. The world stopped shifting. All progress around them had ceased. Yuuto's rage had reached the point where his face had warped into chilling calmness.

"My… friends…?" he asked, his lips moving this time.

"Yuuto…" she whispered his name, hoping to reach out to him in her final attempt. She simply lacked the energy to try again should this fail. "I'm sorry. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. No one was supposed to die. I accept to be responsible for everything. It would have been better if I didn't exist. Then… no one would fight over me. You wouldn't hate me so much.

"Maybe in another world you would have loved the Cali-chan that perished on Camlain."

He didn't move. At least not at first. His eyes bored into hers with an icy fury that made the world around them blacken. He brought his hand up, shaking as the emotions swept through his entire being. The voice of his heart could no longer share its intentions. All things had gone silent.

She shut her eyes, ready and resigned to accept the blow he would send her.

But it didn't come. What he did made her gasp and eyes widen in pure and utter shock.

…Because, for the first time, his hand had patted the top of her head.

*Scene*

"Finally awake, Yuuto Kiba?" Kokabiel's voice echoed through the darkness. He addressed Yuuto as he would to an old friend.

There was no gradual lull out of slumber. As soon as his eyes opened was he fully awake and aware of his surroundings. His Devil vision allowed him to see through the shadows. It was easy to find he had been bound in a chair (half the back was broken) with a few chains restraining him. It had somewhat irked him to find the place Kokabiel had taken him to was, yet again, deep in the cellar of the ruinous cathedral.

It was difficult seeing Kokabiel. Yuuto would have never guessed where to find him until he saw the cold mist seeping out of his nostrils in the corner. The Fallen was sitting on a pile of rubble with his arms and legs crossed, his back leaned against the pile, and his entire posture oozing with confidence. His black wings flickered every so often with anticipation. His red eyes bore into Yuuto, drinking him in now that he was fully conscious.

Kokabiel looked bored. And now he had something to entertain him with.

"Didn't you learn the first time around?" Yuuto sat up straight and tried to unwind his body. He felt stiff while spending (assuming Excalibur had been right) half a day unconscious and who knows how long he spent that amount strapped to this chair. "You have no power here. The Grigori have abandoned you. Did you forget Leviathan-sama was surveying the territory?"

The Fallen leered, "Hoh? That Serafall brat? I was laying waste to the greatest of her ancestors before she could crawl."

"Yeah, Ise-kun told me you said something similar… before he kicked your face in," it was almost uncharacteristic for him to be this cocky, especially against an opponent he knew was more experienced and skilled than he. Not to mention the difference in raw power was _steep_.

Kokabiel wasn't amused by the comment nor the attitude. His half-smile had turned into a thin line. Power dripped out of his being and soaked the air. It made the dim rays of the sun seeping through brighten and the darkness shrivel deeper into the cold abyss.

"The ice is new," Yuuto commented with some weariness. He drew in his feet to the best of his abilities when the layer of frost slid across the floor. He could feel it like molten lava and decided it would be best to avoid contact.

The Fallen blinked and gazed down at his right hand. His frozen claws flexed open and close in repeated sequence. He didn't seem to be accustomed to the limb just yet. "Ah this. Your Dragoon had claimed my arm when last we met. I was imprisoned by that lowly _Saint_ and delivered to the pits of Cocytus. An instant passed, an eon passed; it doesn't matter. Time grows astray when it is frozen solid.

"If anything, I owe your Dragoon a level of gratitude," his toothy sneer returned with a vengeance. His frozen limb crushed the air, sending a shockwave of cold that made Yuuto flinch. "My _time_ in prison has taught me much. Not only do I possess my authority of light but now I control in my grasp the frozen secrets of Cocytus."

"…And you're going to use it to fight Ise." Yuuto confirmed.

"No, child," Kokabiel shook his head as he cackled. He looked down on Yuuto's _assumption_ as though it were mere childish speculation. "I will use it to _destroy_ your Dragoon."

"I see…"

Yuuto decided to stand up. The mystic chains the Fallen used to restrain Devils were shrugged off. The links keeping him bound were severed in half. When he stood, he rolled his shoulders and massaged his wrists while making sure to keep his eyes locked on Kokabiel.

The Fallen showed no surprise. It was likely he had known Yuuto had broken them as soon as he awakened. Only intrigue formed. Intrigue without interest. He was amused with Yuuto's defiance and had welcomed the sporting chance. Yet, he expected nothing much would come out of it.

Yuuto stretched his arm to be a few inches away from his body. His hand flexed around the open air as if ready to grab a hold of something that wasn't there. He looked away from Kokabiel, blinking and straining as if hearing something in the distance. For a moment he had forgotten about Kokabiel entirely. But then, something within him stirred and his attention had returned to the Fallen.

"That's really something scary…" he said aloud. Not to Kokabiel. Nor even to himself. They were simple truths for anyone to hear. "So this is what it's like… That thing at the edge over there. I understand Ise-kun a little better now."

The smile on Kokabiel's face washed away as he realized what Yuuto was rambling about.

A blast of golden light consumed the area when Yuuto brought his arm around matching the speed and precision of a disciplined swordsman combined with the strength and savagery powered by the limb of a beast. His eyes went as cold and sharp as steel with his face shifting into a mask of a bloodthirsty prowler. A hunter; he was one who wandered the wild, who defied and conquered over the untamed, who waited patiently for the precise and utmost efficient time to strike and deliver the killing blow.

A barrier enveloped him, protecting him from the concussion of the blast as well as the shrapnel that drastically changed the territory of his hunting grounds. Not a speck of dust reached him as the golden blade of victory shielded him in its embracing light. Though a dense fog had littered the area, his eyes were still locked on the position the Fallen Angel had slipped into.

He heard the sound of dripping. Excalibur had tasted the Fallen's blood— her edge rejected the touch and the blood slid off of her metal without resistance.

"What a dirty trick, whelp," snarled Kokabiel. His wings flexed, extending to their full length and dispersing the smokescreen. There was a gash across his chest surrounded by the char of cindered flesh. His face was in a grimace of outrage. "Do not think it will happen twice!"

"Kokabiel," Yuuto adjusted his grip on Excalibur. Not that he needed to. It had materialized at the perfect angle for his strike and at the perfect balance for handling. "You and I both know how this will end. You know I can't let you live— not that I doubt Ise-kun and all. But you're a threat to Buchou and all my other friends. So will you surrender now and let me end this quickly, or do you want to drag this out into something futile?"

"You…" Kokabiel gritted his teeth. He threw his arms up into the air, materializing a spear of light with spirals of tundra coiling around the tip. "You will not rob me of my greatest feat! I will destroy one of the Ultimate Killers with my dying breath!"

Yuuto almost laughed. Almost. He put up the smile belonging to the Prince of Kuoh anyways, simply for the irony of this situation. "See, if you could, Ise-kun would have come running straight here. You're no threat. Not really. You can't even get his attention."

"SILENCE!" bellowed the Fallen as he launched his attack down at Yuuto.

The blonde Devil's eyes shifted as his senses flared. He already knew what level of destruction something with this much output would bring. Even if he were to use his speed— heightened by the properties of Excalibur as well— he wouldn't be able to escape the blast radius. That, and a good sum of the city at the edge of the mountainside would be consumed in Cocytus' permafrost.

Instead, he chose to face this attack. It had nothing to do with saving lives or even saving his own skin. It was the nagging sensation tugging at his mind that compelled him to perform his utmost effort into hunting Kokabiel.

Something in his head was singing. It was a hymn of death. A song of the hunt. And dare he say he enjoyed the way it made him feel.

"Balance… Breaker!"

[Sword Birth: Betrayer Hilt of Absolute Victory!]

What became of Excalibur was nothing fantastic or flashy compared to its original golden brilliance. Upon opposing the World and activating his Sacred Gear for what he desired it to be, the golden blade vanished. Only the hilt remained.

And yet, Yuuto brought his arm back and swung forward without hesitation. No other blade took up its place. Nothing _magical_ protruded out of the hilt.

The oncoming projectile was split in half straight down the middle. It lost all momentum in its thrust and the energies that bound it into a spell of destruction came undone. It unraveled until it became harmless motes of light.

Blood splurged as a deep gash ran down Yuuto's arm. He examined it. He had followed his instincts to the best of his abilities and let his body flow in the method he was supposed to swing. But something wasn't aligned still. And the result had his own weapon harming him.

These sensations were still raw to him. They were his and yet not his. They were the things molded into him by his teacher and the things he gained through experience. And they were being forced to cooperate with this new and yet strangely intimate whispering that both soothed and urged his most primal of cravings. They worked well together— he would never have been able to deliver that first blow without their unity— but they were not perfect.

It was like growing a new arm and learning how to use it. Just because he had two others didn't mean this third was going to be as good as the others.

[No, that's not right,] Excalibur whispered within the jewel-encrusted hilted. [Here. Let me show you. Follow my lead.]

"Damnable heathen…" hissed Kokabiel in a low growl. "To achieve Balance Breaker with the Sword of Promised Victory? With an instrument of _God?!_ No, of course. Such is the nature of those who achieve Balance Breaker."

Kokabiel's response to this was to replicate his previous attack. The only difference was the power output had been doubled as well as the quantity. Two spears of frozen light at twice their original size blotted out the sky. The distance between the Fallen and the Devil was over thirty meters and yet Yuuto could feel his muscles coil from the sudden temperature drop.

Yuuto spread his own wings, but a meager pair of leathery wings belonging to the lowest ranking of Devil-kind. He had no pedigree and his demonic energy was mediocre at best. As was to be expected from a human reincarnated as a Devil.

He opened his freehand. Another gold and jewel-pommeled hilt appeared in his grip.

In the next instant, he vanished. The air around him popped with the speed he traversed upon kick-off.

The process repeated itself from before. The two javelins were split in half to where they dispersed into nothingness. Two more sections of Yuuto's flesh parted with blood escaping, albeit to a slightly lesser extent as he let Excalibur guide him.

But now he appeared before Kokabiel. He was close enough to feel the chill naturally radiating off of his skin. He didn't believe he was any faster, as he had been able to follow his own speeds in a natural flow of grace— but perhaps that was the interference working with him. Regardless, the Fallen was taken by surprise based on the way his single working eye widened in shock.

"You know," Yuuto jested without putting the heart into his smile. His eyes were still cold and malicious. "This is almost not fun. This isn't a battle of skill. You're obviously the better fighter. It's just that I have a means of killing you. It's rather unfair."

Kokabiel let loose a snarl of annoyance as he swung his arms and drew his stance back to gather distance. A blade of frozen light pierced through the open air and sent a slash of artic frost to petrify and shatter everything in its path.

"You missed."

Twin streams of blood streaked the air. One vastly larger than the other as it was Kokabiel who had taken the worst of the damage. Another gash had cut across Yuuto's face, running from the tip of his ear all the way down to the middle of his chin and parting his lips. He was unfazed by the pain as his eyes were sealed upon the Fallen.

Kokabiel roared and brought his arm around in retaliation. Another stream of permafrost sliced through the open air by another radiant blade. And yet again did he strike at nothing.

The next blow came at his side. Had he not been aware of his surroundings would Yuuto have delivered the final strike. But Kokabiel twisted his body, took the brunt of the invisible blade and felt his flesh separate in two halves, and went for the riposte.

Yuuto had slipped out of his reach before the Fallen could bring the crescendo of his swing at its full might.

Blood splashed everywhere as Yuuto invaded the Fallen's defenses. But he was getting nowhere. Kokabiel was vastly more skilled in combat than the Devil and was more than able to keep himself alive. The instincts honed by the millenniums as a veteran of the Great War had him capable to stand against the greatest of forces the Biblical Factions could throw at another. Yuuto should have lost the instant he tried to take down the former Cadre.

Normally, he would have. And yet there was something guiding him to prevent his death. Not only that, but this unseen force was also telling him where the best place and when to strike Kokabiel would have the most effect.

The Fallen was, without a doubt, faster, stronger, more cunning, and more powerful than whatever Yuuto could hope to be in the next hundred years. There was no getting around the numbers of their statistics. However, even the mightiest of the Fallen could fall. Everything could. Everything, at some point of time, succumbs to the inevitable and unstoppable universal force.

Death. There was no avoiding Death.

Death was guiding Yuuto. And it was Yuuto who was **Death**.

He knew when the Fallen would strike, how, to what degree, and knew when to avoid or counteract. His body moved on his own, obeying his will before his mind could fully cope with the information process pertaining on the battlegrounds. He was constantly moving, constantly reacting in a predetermined sequence he had little awareness of and even less control over.

It didn't bother him. This man had presented himself as a threat to his King and her peerage. He, her sworn Knight, could not allow such a danger continue to exist.

"You cheeky brat!" spat Kokabiel with wads of phlegm and blood. He was panting and his wings were having difficulty keeping him uplifted. "You… You will not rob me of my prize. The Dragoon… his head… I will mount it as a trophy after I've soiled that bitch of—"

The next strike came with a rush of raw carnal rage. The swordsman in him had vanished as the mind of the prowler overcame all sense. There was no finesse in his next strike, only the unrelenting and primitive brute force of a monster digging its fangs into soft hide. This one cost him the largest gash across his chest, having lost absolute control over technique and compatibility with Excalibur. But it had done the most damage.

Kokabiel lifted his sword to defend. The blade of Absolute Victory split it in half… as well as dislodging his arm and cleaving through the lower half of his torso. His face twisted in a gurgling gasp of bellowing pain and shock.

Finally, he dropped to the floor. His frozen hand clutched at his side and the wound was sealed shut in a dense layer of ice. His insides were to the point of slipping out hadn't he taken emergency actions.

When he tried to stand, the hollowed innards of a hilt reared itself close to his face.

Yuuto looked down at the Fallen. Blood continued to drip from his self-inflicted wounds. He could feel Excalibur doing something to prolong his demise. And he could feel the thing lurking in the back of his mind telling him he will die if he waited too long and lost anymore blood. He ignored it, aware it was his survival instincts amped up to eleven.

His silver eyes peered down, penetrating through the vessel that made Kokabiel's flesh.

He offered his Princely Smile, "So this is what Ise-kun has to deal with all the time. No wonder he's so… troubled. I think I'll give him a back-rub when next I see him. But before that, I always wanted to try that one thing he always does…"

Kokabiel didn't move. His eyes had widened as something _shifted_ within the Devil. His smile had never changed. His image never altered. His demonic energy never fluxed. And yet _something_ had replaced the dignified schoolboy revered as Kiba Yuuto.

He spoke with a voice of power enforced through the authorities of the World.

 **"Do you know who we are?"**

No, it was not a thing that had replaced Yuuto. He had become this thing instead. He had become **Death.**

 **"We are Eighth Predator, the Siege Perilous."**

Whatever Kokabiel had to say— or to not say as he was rendered a gaping fish in sheer horror— had been cut off. Literally.

With a flick of his wrist, but a simple twitch in a lax direction, and Kokabiel's entire being was split in half from the tip of his crown all the way down to his groin. He did not bleed out with his guts spilling out. The things that tied Kokabiel together and registered him as an existence to this World came undone. Excalibur hadn't cut his flesh. It had split his _soul_ in half.

All traces of Kokabiel vanished.

*Scene*

"…And that's the gist of it," Yuuto finished his report at the right time. He had just finished the last of his tea his dearly beloved Queen, Akeno, had spotted for him. Tonight's brew had been exceptionally delightful.

He lied, of course. He had told the Occult Research Club the abridged version of the story. He only told them about Kokabiel kicking his front door open, taking him away, his little argument with Excalibur, and then performing Balance Breaker to defeat his Fallen kidnapper.

…It only slightly bothered him how they had been unaware of his situation. Honestly.

"Thank you Asia, I feel so much better," Yuuto waved at former nun… or the newly inducted nun… Saint… _whatever_ Asia was attempting to be these days. She had finished healing the last of his wounds just before the story was finished.

"I'm just so glad you're okay," the Bishop nearly sobbed with worry.

"So…" Koneko eyed him with her perceptively sharp gaze… and hopefully finding nothing. "Yuuto-sempai is strong?"

He smiled and lifted his arm as if to flex the muscle. "Yup. I was able to beat Kokabiel with the help of Excalibur. It's all about compatibility, it seems. When we worked together we were able to overpower him. But… I really think he was a lot weaker since his imprisonment."

She accepted his words with nod, though her eyes never left his zone.

"You know I'm going to have to cross this over with Leviathan-sama," Rias was the only one fuming over this. The culprit had been dealt with and yet she fretted over him. His heart swayed at the compassion his King had for him. "Just earlier today she and Ise were sitting at the same table as Michael-sama and Gabriel-sama. You'd think those Angels would have mentioned something about that."

"Huh? What about Angels?" Yuuto would have sat forward if he didn't have Excalibur resting on his thigh. "But, Buchou, what happened to your date?"

Her answer was to cross her arms and grumble below her breath like the King she was.

His smile dipped just a smidgeon. A part of him ached knowing his master's day, something she had been looking forward to for so long, had been interrupted.

"But Balance Breaker, Kiba-kun?" Akeno tapped her chin with her finger. "To be crippled in using your Sacred Gear and then suddenly using the same impossible feat Ise-kun? My, that must have been a strenuous battle."

"…Yes, it was," Yuuto admitted as he brushed a few stray strands of hair out of Excalibur's face. She slept soundly unperturbed.

"That's right," Rias spoke thoughtfully. "While a Sacred Gear reacts according to the will and emotions of their user, there are some cases where the bearer had undergone some sort of grand burden. That they reject the philosophy of God's System and implant their own rules into it."

"…Huh," Yuuto said with a nod. "That's quite the specific description, Buchou. Did you hear about this from Sirzechs-sama?"

Her cheeks flared as she pouted. "N-No. Onii-sama had nothing to do with this. I had done my own research as soon as I learned Ise was the bearer of the Boosted Gear. Regardless, Yuuto, this is wonderful news! This will definitely help us with Ise's Rating Game!"

His smile was frozen on his face. It threatened to fall off if he didn't have years practicing to perfect this deceptive persona. Always, always, _always_ it went back to Issei. That's all that consumed his master's life since he broke her engagement to Raizer Phenex.

"Riiiiiaaaaaaaaas!" came the voice of his current ire from down the hall.

His insides cringed. He wished he had more tea to use it as an excuse to hide the grimace that threatened to appear.

The doors flung open and Issei threw himself at the feet of the King, sobbing and staining her stockings while he rubbed his cheek against her leg. He was absolutely hysterical.

Just as Rias had called everyone to a club meeting this late in the evening, she had delivered the same message to Issei. He hadn't responded but she was sure he would arrive anyways.

"I-Ise!" Rias was unaware on how to proceed with things. "W-What's wrong?"

…And just like that, Yuuto's five-minutes of fame were up. The spotlight turned off on him as it was Issei's turn to have the limelight.

"A-A-A-A-A-Amy…" he sniffed, barely able to form words. "She… S-She did unspeakable things to meeeeeeeeeeeeee~" Another heavy sob here for a few minutes.

And then…

"I CAN NEVER BE A BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE!"

It was the totally incorrect thing to say. But this was Issei. He was hysterical over some new misadventure Saint Serene had performed behind closed doors. Yuuto wanted to comfort Issei, he really did and assure everyone he had been right about Serene all along. But the more dominate part of him, the jealous side of him that demanded retribution for stealing the attention of his King, decided to sit back and let events play out.

Incidentally, Excalibur had awoken. She had one eye open as she watched the daily drama unfold.

"Ise, that's not very nice," Asia fiddled with her fingers. "Madam Serene would never do something so… _ecchi._ "

"You weren't there…" Issei sobbed further, muttering the words like a mantra. "You weren't there. Oh gods. She didn't miss a spot. Places I didn't even know I had had been defiled. And… why? WHY WERE THERE TENTICLES?!"

He continued to clutch tightly against Rias' leg in a desperate attempt to seek comfort.

"Ise-sempai," Koneko's eyes narrowed. "You're the worst."

"I AM A VICTIM IN ALL THIS!"

"Don't worry, Ise-kun," Akeno had to bite her lip to hold back the cackle. "Your onee-sama will wash away all of that filth from that old hag."

He sniffed, looking up at her with puppy-dog eyes. "R-Really, Akeno-oneesama?"

"Oh for the love of…" Rias rolled her eyes as she pressed her fingers against her brows in an upcoming headache. "Ise, why are you so distraught over this? I had assumed you were doing things with her already."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!" he looked up at her as if she had kicked him, this poor, abused pup… who could decimate a city in a single instant. "Wha— Why— I-I wouldn't do that to you, Rias…"

"So wait, Madam Serene really did… things with Ise?" Asia cocked her head to the side in bewilderment. And then, like a lightbulb going off over her head, she brightened up with her beautific smile. "Does that mean I can call… _Sister_ Serene… Serene-oneesama? I would very much like that! I… I can be a family with Ise and Serene…"

She squealed with delight.

…There were sparks going off of Issei's head. Was that supposed to be some comic gag about his brain being fried? Wasn't that supposed to _only_ happen in cartoons? Or was this one of those dragon-things like the nosebleeds?

Yuuto chalked up the sparks as a dragon-thing and moved on.

"But… she did… things…" he continued to whimper.

"That doesn't seem to have ever stopped you before," Rias retorted with a tired sigh. "Ise, I've seen your porn collection. I've seen some of the… unmentionables that has claimed your interest. I'm pretty sure whatever Serene did to you can't be any worse than what can only be performed in two-dimensional panels."

A visible pulse shivered through her being from the tips of her toes all the way up her spine and to the crown of her head. It was something she didn't want to learn about her boyfriend's… curiosities.

"But… you and Asia are… my girlfriends…" Issei said next.

"And we will always be," Rias leaned over and pressed her brow against his, cupping his face against hers. She pecked his brow before ruffling his hair and sitting back upright. "What's with you all of a sudden? I had thought you wanted a harem. Wasn't that the reason why you dove head-first into the duties of a Devil?"

"I SHALL BECOME THE HAREM KING!" he suddenly roared, enflamed by a passion that had been sleeping within his core.

"Well, so long as you pay attention to me—"

"And me!" Asia made sure to share her input.

"And me~" Akeno slipped in.

Yuuto half-expected Koneko to jump in as well. But the tiny Rook only shrunk her knees to her chest with her face reddening in… shame? Embarrassment? Longing? Frustration? Or just all of the above. As much of a 'charmer' as he was for the ladies, Yuuto could not comprehend the concept that was women.

"Not you," Rias shooed away Akeno with a wave of her hand. "So long as you pay attention to… your girlfriends, I'm content with sharing you with others. But we're going to have a problem if you _ever_ forget about me. Got it?"

"I will never forget!" Issei protested.

"Good," Rias nodded with a sweet smile. "I suppose that means I'll have to share my time with Serene now…"

"No, uh, actually Rias I don't think Amy likes me like—"

Issei had tried to explain his relationship status to the King. And Rias was willing to listen as he had her attention and was listening with intent. But the World doesn't work like that.

"WAIT! KONEKO-CHAN, I CAN EXPLAIN!"

" _I_ said NO MORE!"

Yuuto watched as Issei took the flying coffee table to the face. He could have dodged. He could have caught the wooden furniture. But he didn't do that. He just… let it happen.

The table struck him. Now, this was no wooden table found in any warehouse store. This was a custom made ebony cinderwood found in the Dragon Canyon of the Familiar Forest. It had the durability to withstand the tremendous feats of Dragons, having grown and forced to adapt through selection in such a hazardous territory. It had also been enchanted through arcane Devilry as this table was used in rituals the Occult Research Club occasionally conducted.

…Thrown by a totally pissed Koneko and it was more like a wrecking ball. Made entirely out of diamond.

There was the sound of something crunching, and it hadn't originated from the wood. But the sound was quickly muffled out by the obnoxiously loud shattering of glass. Koneko had thrown the table hard enough to push Issei back far enough for him to be ejected out of the second-story window.

"Koneko!" Rias scolded her youngest Piece. "That's the fifth window this year we've had to replace."

…Yes, because the window was so much more important than investigating the bone-breaking noise coming from Issei.

Yuuto just kept his smile up as he asked for more tea, to which Akeno happily obliged him.

His gamble had paid off. No one suspected anything, not even Issei.

Yuuto had been able to read Issei inside and out, able to evaluate the level of threat he could be (which nearly made him break out into a sweat), as well as everyone else in the room. No one noticed. No one saw the difference in Yuuto as the Predator's mindset had already claimed him. And Issei hadn't treated him any different than how he usually did.

As it turns out, while he had access to the perks of a Predator whenever he wanted, he could not announce himself as such nor would— it seemed— another Predator be able to detect his presence unless he and Excalibur were together. Not like this, how they sat close together. But _together._

Yuuto was not the Eighth. Excalibur was not the Eighth. _They together_ was Eighth, the Siege Perilous.

*Scene*

"Go fish," said one Reaper.

"Fuck," another Reaper cursed.

"Got any threes?" Gabe asked to the hot piece of ass of a Reaper on his right.

The girl who continued to give him the stink-eye shook her head and pointed to the deck.

"Damn," Gabe cursed and drew from the deck. "Oh, hey. I got what I—"

"SHOO! SHOO!" Josh appeared out of nowhere, kicking one Reaper across the jaw and sending another flying through the air with his abilities. Power coursed through his veins in a sum that electrified the air. Power that should not be challenged foolishly. "Get the fuck out of here you damn buzzards!"

The Reapers scattered like crows, slipping away into mists of black or fading into apparitions. They claimed their belongings in a hurry.

In the next instant, the crowd of seven had dispersed. All that remained was Gabe and his younger brother.

"Dude, the fuck?" Gabe tossed his hand aside. At least those Reapers had forgotten about the booze. Some terrible shit, but booze was booze. He grabbed it and took a swig. "I was winning."

"It's always threes," Josh ranted, kicking the bucket one Reaper had used as a stool and then stomping on an ancient lantern used for lighting on this dark rooftop. "I don't get the joke! What's the point? Who started it? Why is it everywhere with this guy?! What does it even mean?! No one understands the fucking joke!"

"Bro," Gabe wobbled, a little buzzed from the constant drinking they shared for a few hours. "The fuck, man? What are you going on about?"

"The fuck were you doing?" Josh turned suddenly and snarled at his brother. He bared his teeth as their faces were close enough to feel another's breath. "I gave you a job and here you are smoking hash, getting hammered, and being cock-blocked with damn buzzards."

"I did my job," Gabe stepped back and reached for his back pocket. He pulled out a black notebook. "Look. These Grims were totally doing what we've been doing for weeks. I found them, we shared a few notes, and one thing led to another. They got shit on everyone in that little clan—"

"Did you or did you not see what happened to Kokabiel?" Josh demanded while he snatched the notebook out of his hands.

"Yeah, I saw," Gabe immediately became sober. "Fuck, man. I wasn't expecting that. We fucked up seriously, bro. I thought that would cripple them and make things a little easier but we _really_ shot ourselves in the knads this time."

"No, this was all expected," Josh flipped through the book with his thumb. All one-hundred and fifty pages of meticulously jotted notes were read in an instant. His ironclad eyes shimmered for an instant until the eye technique wore off. "Saw it in a dream. Better to have it happen now rather than later, like, at the party later. Least now we know what we're dealing with."

"…What are you— What are you doing?!"

Josh had dropped the book on top of the lantern he had crushed. It became soaked with the oil leaking. He pulled out a lighter from his pocket, flicked it alive, and tossed it into the pile. Oil and book burned beyond recovery.

"Do you know how hard I worked on that?!" Gabe nearly jumped for the notebook.

"There's three of them now," Josh explained. "Even reading about them will alert them. So I had to destroy it since you made information before I brought in Kokabiel. Look, Gabriel, I appreciate all the hard work you put into this. Real nice touch chatting with the buzzards and getting their info. But, hey, you remember everything you wrote down, yeah? That's all we need."

"This is still so stupid," Gabe whined. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Yeah, so…" Josh reached for the lighter. It sailed out of the flames and into his hand. The heat didn't bother him as he pulled out a cigarette and used the lighter to ignite it. "We need a DJ and some bouncers. I'll get the bouncers. You get the jockey."

Gabe waved his hands about, "The hell is that supposed to mean? Enough with the party lingo. Just say it to me straight already."

Josh chewed on the butt of his smoke. "Gabriel, if I didn't promise Ma I'd have strangled you by now. Yeah, alright, there's this babe who's fucking nuts. Church girl. An old friend of Ma. I need you to talk to her and do your little dance to convince her to get her ass over here."

Gabe groaned, "Joshua… ain't no Church girls left. They're history."

"No, this one is still kicking it. She's an Inquisitor. _The_ Inquisitor."

"Wait. That scary ass bitch who visits Ma at least every Saint's Day?"

"Yup, that one," Josh flicked his cigarette aside and began to stroll to the edge of the roof. "Saint Mother-Fucking Vice. Piece of advice, make sure to mention my name or she'll gut you. You know how Inquisitors are when meeting us _pagans_."

Josh snickered to himself before he stepped off the edge and vanished into the night.

0-0-0

 _ **Predators… Part 2…**_

The two qualities needed in order for a denizen of the World to be acknowledged as a Predator follow as such: First, they must have the capability to kill anything existing within the World. This includes those deemed 'immortal' and 'deathless', everlasting, conceptual creatures, Incarnations of the Planet, and their fellow Predators. A Predator _must_ have a means to be able to kill _every individual target_ should the need arise.

Second, the Predator must have the means to survive against any conflict that exists within the World. This includes the death-rendering Reapers, soul-sucking thralls, conceptual forces that defy the Laws of the World, incurable and/or unavoidable disease, and, of course, their fellow Predators. No matter the dire situation, a Predator must be able to withstand anything thrown at them.

A Predator is the apex creature of the planet. They are the prime of their neighbors.

When the World was first crafted, it was the Earth Mother who had been First Predator and who held such a title the longest. Following her came Second, the Heavenly Father; Third, the Gentle Giant; Fourth, the Storm King; and Fifth, a forgotten beast who ruled over the skies. Predators were _always_ supposed to be the forces the planet itself created to fend for itself.

But as the World aged, new things sprouted from its roots. New monsters were born, humanity came into being, eldritch gods descended from the cosmic rift, mysteries manifested that warped reality, and diseases mutated from the corpses of the fallen. As the World grew, with its inhabitants ever adapting, new methods of killing and surviving had sprouted.

It is not unheard of for one Predator to lose their status. As new methods of the hunt are devised can new things be discovered in which the Predator should not have the means to slay or to protect their selves against. Or both. These Predators become obsolete and fall back in line to the common masses, albeit still recognized as leading forces on the food-chain.

There are also unique cases in which _multiple_ subjects have been recognized as a _singular_ Predator. Most of which include a symbiotic relationship with a greater host— both of which require the other in order to be deemed as an Ultimate Killer.

Such events included the Nine-Heads Hydra, the ever stretching rodent infestation known as the Black Plague, or the Nine Lords of the Sun of Egypt. Within the human civilization it has been recognized the Roman Republic and the Order of the Round Table were once Predators.

But these such occurrences only apply when, per se, one subject has all the necessities of one requirement while another subject carries the other. One to be the ultimate sword and the other the ultimate shield.

It should also be mentioned several had been recognized as Predators under this effect. And, usually, they are the shortest-lived of their kind.


	5. A wild TITAN appears!

**AN:**

 **My god, everyone wants Serafall. Challenge accepted.**

 **So I'll be taking a break from this as promised. I need to update Moonlit Emperor. And after that (as was decided by The Coin, may it be praised upon high) I will be updating three chapters of Heart of Glass. And then I'll be back at this.**

 **Besides... I've yet to finish the LN and, uh, there are some things I still don't get. Better finish it now before I get into some of the deeper politics and all that.**

 **I took the liberty of posting a tier-chart on the forum if anyone is interested in looking at it. It shares where everyone stands in terms of "power levels". I still feel it's inaccurate because almost everyone on that list has a means of killing someone higher or lower in the ranking. But, hey, this is an anime-ish story. So whatever.**

 **Last... apparently Issei calling Akeno "Onee-sama" is a big no. After some looking into it I realized that, yeah, it is. So... I'm going to just sweep that under the rug like what I did with "Aya-nee" and pretend it never happened. From henceforth Issei shall now address Akeno as "nee-san". And we're all going to pretend that's what he's been saying this entire time. Right? Right?! RIGHT?!**

 **Good.**

 **Now, I promise to answer questions when I can.** **_If_ I can. You know how that goes.**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

Sona arrived at her destination promptly. By that, she meant she arrived a few minutes before the appointed time so to properly greet her host. It would have been obnoxious to show up 'fashionably late' and pretentious if she was here too soon. Her schedule was planned accordingly, her bearings gathered, and she was on her way before she knew it.

…She did raise the question on the location of her appointment, however.

"Hello," she greeted the hostess, trying her best to not let the overwhelming odors of garlic show on her face. "I'm here for a reservation under Ruler."

The hostess, some teenager the same age as Sona, blinked a few times with her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. "Oh. Christ. Y'know when we got the call we thought some punk was— I mean… We're still setting up your table so it'll be another minute. You're the first to arrive anyways."

What terrible service. But at least the girl had the wits to collect herself and recover.

"Thank you," Sona nodded and went to take a seat in the waiting room. She sat on the suede couch with her legs tucked together, posture straight, and hands resting on her lap. But… looking around gave her this feeling she did not belong.

Perhaps she had overdressed. She had done her makeup exceptionally well and had her hair trimmed by her professional groomer. While Richard Royals had instructed her to dress casually, she chose one of her more modest of dresses. It was a silky blue gown with a light coat to cover her exposed shoulders. It had taken her the remainder of the week to hunt down the pair of heels that went along with it.

It would have been better had Royals instructed her to wear something more inconspiculous as 'street clothes'. Looking around, nearly everyone present was dressed in a simple shirt with jeans. Some of the girls— and she thought Rias wore a short skirt— were lax in their posture with their attire bordering scandalous.

She wondered if she could sneak into the bathroom and apply some magic to transfer her clothes to something more… accommodating.

Someone ran straight through the double doors, nearly tripping over the next awaiting party. He pushed past everyone and went straight to the hostess.

"Hi there," the man said while gathering his bearings… and his breath. It looked like he had been running for quite some time. "Reservations under Ruler? Table for two."

Something within Sona made her breath hitch. This man… this oaf of a man who couldn't have possibly be any taller than her was… No, surely not. Probably some representative or something of the sort.

Of course. The Ruler wouldn't _personally_ come to the middle of some mediocre family-chain restaurant to meet with a high school girl. High Class Devil or not. He was the _Ruler of the World._

The man was instructed to wait. He took a moment to search for the bathroom and came back to the waiting room a few minutes later washed of any sweat or grime. There weren't any spare seats so he chose to sit alongside Sona.

"Hi there," he said with a nervous smile. It was friendly, for sure, but it belonged to a man who was used to getting kicked around and the grin was weak. "You, uh, here for a date or something?"

"Something of the sort," she decided to play along. A part of her was furious to having her expectations roused. She wanted blood. A simple prank like this should be enough until she could return home and find something to ease her ire.

"Your date is going to be completely blown away," he said with a broader smile and a wave of his hands. "You make me want to have dressed a bit fancier. I'm supposed to meet with someone super important for work and… well, I feel so underdressed compared to you."

She let a smile show but made sure it wasn't a smirk. He was dressed in a strange set of attire— perhaps something acceptable here in the metropolitan city of Los Angeles but not in any respectable place in high society.

It was a short sleeved button-down with a tie and vest. It wasn't tucked into his _jeans._ And the loafers didn't belong with the set at all. His hair was also a wreck. It was hastily combed back, more than likely by his fingers, and tended to stand up at irregular places. And those glasses of his… they were thick framed with the lenses so dense they made his eyes appear twice in size.

He had a nice set of brown hazel eyes though. They were almost as nice as Issei's…

That last thought… it made her stomach tie into nots.

"Hey, if I fail in this I'm blaming you," he said playfully. He made some last minute adjustments such as straightening his tie and his vest. "I'd be the best-looking guy here if not for you."

She took it as a compliment rather than flirting. However, she couldn't get a read on his personality. He was all over the place. Nervous, weak, and timid in one instant and now eccentric and enthusiastic now that he was comfortable in her presence.

"Ruler, party of two," announced the hostess.

The man patted his knee and quickly stood. "Nice chatting to you. Enjoy your date."

Sona waited until he was three steps away before rising herself and following. She made sure to stay in his blind spot for him to not notice her while still appearing to the hostess guiding them to their table they were together. In a minute they were shown to a small booth designed for two. The man offered a compliment to the hostess and took his seat.

He was a flirt, she acknowledged.

It became difficult trying to suppress the smirk that much more when she took her seat (also making sure her skirt didn't bunch up by the velvet seats). The man had his lips puckered as if he had swallowed something sour.

She folded her hands across the table and patiently awaited the man to get out of his blunder.

"…I'd eat my own foot but I believe I need it," he said slowly as he began to climb back to reality.

"I believe as the saying goes you already have," she said sagely.

He seemed to shrink into himself now that he had lost his footing and confidence. He couldn't match her gaze. "I, uh, think I've embarrassed myself more than enough. Um… would you be Sona Sitri then? Or is it Shitori in this case?"

"I am Sona Sitri, yes," she answered while fixing her glasses. Incidentally, the gesture made him do the same. "I am here as the Sitri Heiress because I was under the impression I would be discussing the terms of a contract with the Ruler of the World."

There was a bit of an edge in her voice. It had been intentional for him to pick it up and see how irked she was about this.

This overly chipper waitress showed up then and there to ask for their drinks and if they had any questions over the menu. There was a glaze in her eyes with the way she looked at them. Was she… was she _intoxicated_?!

"Iced tea," Sona requested. She made sure to lower her expectations to the bare minimum. She was never this shrewd over matters like this. Contrary to popular belief, Sona had a guilty pleasure in indulging herself with hole-in-the-wall cuisine— she made it a game of hounding new udon stations across Kuoh. But so far her expectations have been met with disappointment.

Perhaps it was the result of this family-owned restaurant going commercial.

"Just water," the man requested.

The waitress gave another bright smile and walked away.

"If you are upset about the whole contract thing…" the man picked up the conversation. Again, he looked around the table or his hands, never once looking directly at her. "You were more than able to decline. I had told Dick to make sure on this fact. It's a request, not an order."

She didn't say anything at first. Her brows furrowed into a fine crease without breaking into an unpleasant expression. "Yes, Lord Royals had put this point across. And I am here because there is something I desire from the Ruler."

"Most would take that as being greedy," he pointed out.

She _corrected_ him, "I prefer to think of it as laying out my intentions if I am to take this _request_ seriously. That is also taking into account I am unaware of my role should I accept."

"Alright, well, what is it exactly you want, Miss Sitri?" he asked. "To be fair, the purpose of this isn't to simply go over the details of the contract. This is as much of an interview. Both of us have the right to accept or decline."

He leaned forward with an elbow propped on the table and his chin resting against his knuckles. Again, almost frustrating at this point, he refused to look her way. He looked towards her general direction— his eyes never peering below her lips. He looked at her lips, at her nose, at her brow, but _never_ directly into her eyes.

"Can the Ruler control or demand the obedience of his Ultimate Killers?" she more so demanded than inquired.

With his other hand, he drummed a few times on the table. He nodded once, as though trying to convince himself on the possibility. "Yes. Probably not in an immediate or direct way such as how you might be thinking. The World is run by a set of strict Laws with sub-clauses, modifications, amendments. Those are called Rules and only a Ruler can enforce and-or create them.

"It shouldn't be too hard. I did design the Predator system and tend to tweak it every so often when necessary."

Now there was smugness in his tone. He had picked up she didn't believe him to be the Ruler and was now throwing it back in her face.

He had been right, in the end. She didn't believe this buffoon of a man to be the highest authority figure on the planet.

But then raised the question on his appearance and mannerisms. As well as the scenic location of their interview. He had dressed in one tier above rags and had chosen a lackluster restaurant. He perfectly blended in with his surroundings.

He had fooled Sona as soon as she saw him stumble inside the building.

"…I believe I owe you an apology," she said.

"I know it might be a little hard…" he drawled out slowly, again, never looking at her. He seemed to be unsure of himself as his eyes wandered in search for the words he wanted to say. "But let's pretend our stations of office are equal to another. You are a High Class Devil and I am the Ruler. Yes. But I am a person who is asking to make a contract with a Devil. Nothing more."

"I must refuse," she offed. "It would be disrespectful to one of your stature and would tarnish the reputation of the Sitri Clan to be anything less."

"Alright, alright," he waved his hands around while leaning back against his seat. "You… act however you think is best and I will do the same. I'd like to think of you as another human being— Devil— _person._ As another person. I have my job and you have yours. Would you be willing to listen to my proposition and find a way to work with me?"

She mulled it over. But by that time their waitress had returned with their drinks and asked for their orders. The Ruler asked for two of the manager's specials quickly so the waitress would leave immediately.

…The tea was processed. Concentrated from powder. It would have required sugar _if_ the packets in the corner weren't just as processed. Sona slid the cup to the corner of the table. She'd have to ask for water when she had the chance.

"Lord Royals had declined to inform me the purpose of this… interview," she stated. "I was made aware you were interesting in conversing with me for a potential contract. But the terms as well as the intentions behind it were kept mum."

He nodded. "Um… Dick recommended I not tell you but that doesn't feel right. You're not the first person to get this interview. I'd like you to be the last. I've been looking for someone and the most of them were either fairly disappointing or overqualified. Believe it or not but Dick had the same interview with your sister. She was too much for me."

"…Is that how she recommended the Lord Archmage to me?" she asked with her eyes narrowing.

"The, uh, specifics are a little ways out there," he scratched the side of his head. "None of the others knew about me, either. I made sure to let them all know I was just some random schmuck who was looking for someone to take up this job."

A part of her was irked. Serafall had recommended the Archmage of Wales to Sona if she wanted to get Saji back from the Dragon Slayer. She _really_ didn't want to as she knew Richard Royals had been relatively close to Issei. But she could not ignore his credentials. If there was anyone who could match against a Predator it was him.

She was irked because Sona had been guiled to her current position. They used her desire to retrieve Saji for this particular scheme.

"This is something I would have expected by a certain Acolyte," she breathed out her frustrations. "Not by my own sister. Now, if I may inquire, what sort of task does the Ruler of the World request from one of my stature?"

"…Please don't tell me you don't think you're good enough," it almost sounded like he was whining.

"If you have had Lord Royals interview my sister, the Leviathan, then it is inevitable for me to believe such," there was that edge again. "Not to mention you've admitted that I am not your first choice. It sounds like you are, frankly, scraping at the bottom of the barrel."

"Wow… that actually kinda hurts…" he rubbed his chest with a genuine look of affliction on his face. It was as though her words had brought physical harm. "It's not that I'm looking for the overly spectacular. I'm looking for something a little more… specific. The reason why I declined your sister was because she was _way_ to unrealistic. I'm looking for someone a little more… down to earth, let's say. Or up— y'know, Underworld and all that. Wait. Forget it.

"I'm looking for someone who can relate to me as is as closely possible. Someone I can talk to and share opinions. Someone who won't look up at me or down at me. Normally I'd ask Dick but he's going to the same event as I am and he has his own problems. I believe you fit the bill. I'd like you to be the one.

"Here. How about this? Ask me any question and I will answer it. Right here and right now. No charge whatsoever."

"…Before that," Sona adjusted her glasses once more. "I'd like to return to the topic at hand. What exactly would you be having me do?"

He chewed his lip as he prepared his next set of words. "Be my secretary? I-It's only temporary. Just for a few days. See, there's this event going on down over in Kyoto. A lot of important people are going to attend and I need to be present as host. They're going to be discussing over matters of the World and… to the best I can explain, _bigger_ things. I need someone to take notes for me during sessions… and to make sure I don't make a fool of myself.

"It'd be a great learning experience," he quickly added. "There's the chance of meeting political figures on this planet and elsewhere. I'd introduce you to who I know, of course. Getting connections is important! And you'd learn firsthand by me on how the World works."

She didn't respond right away. What he said soaked in her mind and needed some time to fully register.

"Elsewhere?" was the only thing she asked about. "Do you mean to tell me there will be… interstellar or extraterrestrial entities present?"

"…I made sure to not include _aliens_ when I was designing the World," he replied immediately with a harsh edge that hadn't been there before. "The World is only one place, Miss Sitri. Think of it as a house. There are _other_ Worlds out there and think of them as our neighbors within one big city. The people who are 'coming over' would be something equivalent to the city board members, the mayor, the governor, and such others.

"These are the Lawmakers," he said with a stern voice. "While I may be the Ruler of this realm _they_ are the ones I answer to because they were the ones who decided what makes what happen. They are our progenitors. It is politically correct to address them as Primordial Ones."

Her mind was crossed between awestruck and skeptical. She had started to get over the fact she was present before the most important being on the planet, one who transcended the ranks of the Predators. And now he was telling her there was something higher in power than he.

…And she was going to meet and greet these individuals.

"That's quite a lot to take in…" she chose to take a sip from the tea at this point. She would have addressed him by his name but realized she hadn't asked for it. Or, rather, he hadn't told her.

"Yes, it is," he said with a sympathetic nod. "I would have liked for you to think this over but I'm afraid I'm going to have to press the both of us in making a decision here and now. The event in a little more than a week away and I'm either going to have you or go alone. I'd like you to come with me, if it means anything."

"I'd like to return to my earlier inquiry on why me," she asked. What information he had provided was noted and stored away for later examination. She needed her mind to be present at this table if she were to get anywhere. "With all due respect, Mister Ruler, but I'm finding it hard to believe I fit the standards you've vaguely provided. I also don't believe I am qualified to attend delegations between… businesses of your profession."

He didn't answer. He looked away, fully turning his head away from her. Across the room his eyes had locked onto a television above the bar. There was no chance either of them could have heard the broadcast but they didn't need to hear anything to know.

It was a review to the presidential speech a few days back. The President of the United States had spoken before his people to address the matter regarding the Red Blur and the catastrophe that was the Red Storm. He offered support and relief to the countries overseas that had been struck by it. But even America wasn't untouched. The Red Storm had reached as far as their western shores.

He had condemned the Red Blur and no longer welcomed him into the country. Military action would be executed (if possible) upon sighting the Red Blur.

"Have you ever hated anyone before, Miss Sitri?" the Ruler asked in an almost quiet voice. His eyes never left the screen.

"…I'm afraid I don't understand the point of the question," she stated.

"Do you understand the meaning of the word?" he pressed further. He leaned forward against the table with both his arms crossed on the table. Still he never looked away. "Have you ever despised someone so much you'd have wished them dead? Or at least maimed beyond all recognition or induced with as much pain as is physically possible? Have you wanted to seek revenge and inflict as much pain— physical, emotional, and spiritual— as you have felt?"

"…No," she answered slowly, carefully. Her eyes examined him with clinical focus. "I can't say that I have."

"Have you ever been in love?" he asked next. "Or love someone currently? Have you ever been so delighted to be in the presence of another that you can't help it nor are able to explain it? That you react in almost chaotic ways at everything this person does? That you strongly desire to see this person succeed in everything they attempt or hold them in such high esteem to not admire from a distance but to stand beside them? To be a part of their life? To forgive them whenever they have wronged you or praise them for the good they bring you, whether intentional or not?"

She didn't respond.

"Everyone always thinks love and hate are opposites," he smacked his lips. "They're not wrong. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. You can't have the one without the other. It would be apathy that is their enemy. To throw away all emotional attachment to any party."

She became silent, studying him but finding nothing. Nor could she gather where this was going.

"Do you know how many wars there've been because of those two principles?" he turned his head towards her this time. "Roughly two-thirds. The final third was because of apathy. I'm not referring to just human wars either. Let's look at your Great War. For simply existing the three Biblical Factions were at each other's throats. And all three of you shared those three perspectives towards another.

"War never changes. Nor will it ever go away. Before I continue, what is your question? I believe I know what it already is."

At first she had no idea what he was asking about. But then she recalled he had asked her earlier for the same thing. Yes, she did have a question in mind— several in fact. But if there was one thing she wanted to know and if it were to be the only question he'd answer, it would have been:

"What is the purpose of the Predator system?"

For the first time, he looked directly at her.

"To make sure the same thing I went through never happened again," something aged escaped his lips. It betrayed his rather young appearance. "This is not my original home. I created it based off of the one I once lived… a very long time ago. The World I was born into had broken out into a war so grave it killed off half the population. An entire breed of people were slaughtered. Suppose, Miss Sitri, the humans got together and hunted all of you down. Devils and Angels and all manner of the occult."

He turned his head away, returning to the television screen across the room. "This was because the two Rulers of that World could not get along. It was a game to them. And when one side had won… they just… left. Poof. They abandoned ship and went who knows where. They abandoned the World they had created and… the World died without their interaction. It was designed that way. It would stop running as soon as their game ended. Everyone on the planet just… died."

He took a large gulp of his water, even taking a brief chance to chew on a chunk of ice. When finished, he cleared his throat and carried on. "I created the Predator system to make sure something to that degree doesn't happen again. And… selfishly, I will admit, to ultimately destroy those two Rulers should they ever return.

"It was never my intention on letting those with a moral sense of judgement become a Predator," he said with a grave voice, filled to the brim with regret. "This should have been in my calculations but it wasn't. The original Predators were mindless beasts and I couldn't imagine anything else being their equal… or betters as they are now.

"It haunts me whenever I see something about Issei," he gestured with a nod at the television. "It's not his fault. It never was. His fate has been decided by a grand nexus of circumstances. From Rolan's fear, to the Vampire's bloodthirst, to God's creation of the Sacred Gears, to the Earth Mother's tantrums, to his great ancestors settling in Japan, to Ddraig and Albion brawling… Well, in the end it comes down to me being the biggest fault. No matter how I try to look at it, no matter how hard I try to alter events or amend the Rules, Issei is doomed unless I never installed the Predator system."

She wanted to say something. Anything, really, to get him out of this and back to the conversation at hand. But… something in the back of her mind made her sit there and listen quietly. There was a point to this, she reassured herself. There was a reason why he was rambling on about all of this.

She wondered what any of this had to do with her.

"I read the history of the World through his eyes," he said before taking another sip from his water. "I saw everything. His childhood, the appearance of the Vampire, his awakening of his Sacred Gear, his ascension as a pseudo-Predator— all of it. You've no idea how deep in madness that child is consumed in. For the longest time there has been no amount of love in him. Only hate. He was a coin with both sides etched with hate.

"Do you remember the news doing an article about the incident? Nothing fancy, nothing spectacular. Just a few newspaper clippings buried under other pressing matters. But everyone around the neighborhood had heard about the 'burglary'. Poor Issei, they said. And yet not a soul comforted him. Don't you find it strange how he was able to live by himself? The government didn't claim him nor did they bother to seek for some distant relative? I believe even the Shidou family could have qualified to become his legal guardians.

"Don't you find it strange how it was Rolan who found him first?" his eyes flickered towards her. "How it was Rolan who introduced him to what it meant to be a Predator, who gave him advice on how to be a 'hero', and gave him money for his heroic antics?"

"We've come to the conclusion Sir Rolan was responsible for the whole incident," she said. She couldn't hide the disgusted look this time.

" _Sir_ Rolan," the Ruler said with irony. "He's as much of a man of honor as you are an Angel of the Lord. Yes, in any case it was Rolan who made it all happen. But that's not the point I'm trying to make. Now, Issei is given a direction, a reason to fight. He is given a purpose to direct that pent-up anger towards something constructive. It was Rolan who pointed him in that direction. Do you have any idea where that road led to?"

She couldn't answer. He had asked that question while a server had arrived to deliver their food— spaghetti with a thick cream sauce of mushrooms, garlic, and… bacon. The man looked at them with a quizzical look, shrugged, and wished them a good meal. None of the two touched their plates.

"The Vampire," she finally answered, pushing her plate of food aside for now. She had lost her appetite and the smell was now sickening.

"You should have seen the look on his face when Issei won," the Ruler gestured towards the television again, indicating the Red Storm event now that the broadcast had switched over to celebrities talking about it. "Rolan didn't think he had a chance at all. But it was always his intention to have the two fight against each other. It gave Issei something to thrive for. So Rolan put him against things that would have broken lesser men all in the name of making Issei stronger. To make him into a Predator.

"Then… Ayame Nakashima came into the picture," he said with a sigh. "Everyone thinks it was Issei dying against a pair of Fallen or becoming a Devil's servant that did it. But, no, it was Ayame who did it. Now look at it through his perspective. Here we have Issei who has lived alone for the past three years with _no one_ to offer emotional support. And now, all of a sudden, he finds this little girl who has been in the same boat as him for just as long. He can't help but be drawn to her.

"He loved her," he said with so much regret and anguish it was though he had admitted to a guilt that plagued him. "More than he realized. He loved her because she was himself. She was the only one who could understand his pain and she too loved him just as much. Neither of them understood their feelings for another but it was there as early as a first glance. He loved her as a sister— as _family_ since the loss of his parents.

"Can you imagine what he went through having to go through the same ordeal? There's a saying. Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice—"

"Shame on me," she finished. Her complexion had paled and she could not suppress the twitching of her lips. It took all of her focus to not vomit.

"That was twice Issei had lost someone he loved with every fiber of his being," the Ruler said in a low and distant voice. By this point it sounded as though he were telling this story to himself instead of to her. "By the same instigators. Things would have been far better had it only been Asia who died. Tragic, yes, but salvageable. He would have grieved, he would have scolded himself, and he would have stood back up. But what happened broke him into something that will never be the same no matter what.

"Do you want to know why he isn't a hero anymore? The reason that not even Issei knows himself? Well, a part of it is because he's lost faith in himself. Yes, he's terrified of failing again but it's a bit of an oxymoron when by doing nothing all of these evils continue to flourish. But there are two reasons why he doesn't go out there and be the Red Blur once again.

"For one, it is because it was Rolan who convinced him to do it. To be a hero. It was Rolan who gave him everything he needed to be the widely popular Red Blur. If Issei were to continue then he'd be following Rolan's instruction further. Since it was Rolan who instigated Ayame's death why would Issei trust anything else the man had to say?

"Eventually, Issei would have recovered. Not fully. He would have been some crippled mess that would have required the assistance of someone else… that someone else being Rias Gremory. But, in any case, he would have gone back out there and followed routine. Perhaps done things a little differently such as ignoring Rolan's missions, I don't know. But now there's no need for that. No matter how hard people will demand his presence or try to convince him to go back out there, he won't do it."

"…Because the Vampire is dead," she guessed.

He nodded. "He reached his end goal. He got strong enough to where he was able to wipe out the greatest evil he was aware of. The sole purpose of his existence was extinguished. But now we come to a problem. Here we have this giant bundle of hate festering within a tiny capsule. He has no direction. He has no purpose. He doesn't have a reason to live."

The Ruler lifted his fork and began to eat, leaving Sona alone with some food for thought.

"…While this is very informative, Mister Ruler," she said after taking in a breath of air. "I neglect to understand how this answers my first question."

"Why you?" he asked with a mouth of food and a condescendingly raised brow. Chew. Swallow. "Let's back up and examine things through _your_ perspective then. From what I've gathered, Issei captured your attention when he began to show up at school covered with grievous wounds. Like any concerned student, I'm sure, you investigated."

She frowned. She didn't like how he knew about this. But he _was_ the Ruler of the World. Of course he would know about her. Her mind was telling her to walk up and leave. She didn't want to hear his analytical evaluation on her deeds and intentions.

She chose to sit still and listen. For Saji, she assured herself, she was doing this for Saji.

"You found out there was something… special about him," he stabbed his fork into the plate and began to play with the noodles. "You thought you found something to add to your collection. So you jumped the gun and decided to claim him before Rias found out. You cornered him after he brushed you aside repeatedly. Even going as far as threatening him with expulsion for his juvenile acts.

"He told you, in the end. He showed you a fraction of his power and you became terrified of his presence. But here's the part I don't understand— and that in itself says something. Why, in all this level of fear, did you stay by his side? You could have easily gone straight to your sister. For all her… charm, let's call it, she _does_ take her job very seriously. You knew this. But you didn't act. You, instead, chose to support him.

"Your intentions don't matter. Whether you did this because you liked him or if you were afraid of him are unimportant. Here we have a child who is desperate for attention. He may have… friends," he snorted, "but those two could never sympathize with him. You, on the other hand, were able to get under his skin and learn his darkest secrets. Regardless of the methods, you doing that relieved him of a lot of stress.

"You've no idea he was just as terrified of you as you were of him.

"Your odd relationship worked, though the both of you walked on glass the entire time when, really, you could have relaxed whenever you wanted. Eventually you did. You were the first to lower your guard and welcome him. You've no idea how long he wanted that— for you to put down that shield and treat him like another person.

"And by doing that, it was you he looks up to the most. You whose opinion matters the most. You who has the highest value to him. Why do you think he flinches whenever you get mad at him? Or why he quivers in fear whenever you feel the need to lecture him? Or, such as more recently, why he is scrambling an army to fight Rolan in a Rating Game?"

"Hyoudou _thinks_ he loves me because Rolan wishes for my hand," she said with a bit of venom. She didn't know who it was directed at. To Issei for his foolishness. To Rolan for doing this. Or to the Ruler for bringing this up. "Mister Ruler, I'd like very much to not discuss over matters of my personal and private life."

"I'm sorry but your _personal and private_ life happens to be my business," he said bitterly. "I'm not overly fond of meddling with people's affairs. But when it's the workings of one young girl who has saved the world a few times and can even stave off my Predators, then, yes, I deserve the right to investigate."

She blinked at that. There was some truth to his words. She recalled being able to stop Issei from going on a rampage against Rolan. And she had made Rolan leave her abode. But to save the world? Now that was too much.

"I believe you give me too much credit," she said.

"It's more like I know things you don't," he said with a tired voice. He took another bite from his plate to drag out time. "It's the little things that do it. A small touch, some words you don't recall because of their insignificance, or maybe the way you looked at him when he said something particular. You might not think some comforting words and a small pat on the shoulder might not be much. But to someone like Issei, who hadn't known the touch of another person for three years? That right there is mind-blowing."

"…What would have happened if I didn't seek him out in the infirmary?" she asked.

"The story would have continued," he shrugged. "Rias would have gotten to him. But things would have been a lot worse. She either would have been dead or Issei would have been absolutely possessive about her. It could have gone either way. Grayfia would have been killed on the spot if the latter. Sirzechs wouldn't have taken that too lightly. I think you could gather the rest."

"…Is there any part where I was needed and wasn't?" she asked next, almost afraid— no, she was— of the answer.

He looked up in search of something. His eyes flickered across the ceiling as though reading something only he could see. "Yes. But I'd rather not tell you. There's a thing about regretting the past that swallows people. Two out of five instances, from what I see, that would _certainly_ have you screaming right now."

She gulped. Her mind raced as she thought where she had gone wrong. Was it… no. Please, oh please, let it not be that time in the Student Council office. Where she had said those harsh words to Issei and had left him silent. The face he had at that time… the tears that he shed because of her words…

"It's not the one that you're thinking," he said suddenly. "It's the little things, I'm telling you. If you try to think about what they could have been you'll also go mad. Not immediately. But it'll bug you for some time. It's better to accept it and move on. It's why I'm telling you about all the good you've done and all the people you've saved."

"I'm not comfortable with you reading my thoughts," she almost hissed. She was getting upset over this interview, if it can still be called that. "Do I even want to know how many people I've killed?"

"It's not mind reading. It's Sherlock stuff. And, no, there's no point in answering that question either. Nor will I confirm anything. Such as if you _did_ kill anyone indirectly.

"But I think that's enough of that topic," he said while clapping his hands once. "Now that you're in this state of mind and after hearing everything I've had to say thus far, I have a question for you. Since this _is_ an interview I had to prepare for something. So, Miss Sitri…

"What would you do if you were the Ruler?"

She didn't need to think about it.

"I _wouldn't_ have had a Predator system," she answered without hesitation. "To be honest, Mister Ruler, I wouldn't want your job. I find it unfair and unsatisfying to be at the pinnacle of all things. Things are handed to me as the Sitri Heiress and I find it suffocating. I respect hard work and I plan to achieve my dreams through my own merits."

"Yes… I certainly agree," he put his hands together and responded with another distant tone. "It does get boring always watching and never interacting. I couldn't agree more."

He tapped his fingers on the table. Not in a random sequence. It was as though he were imputing some sort of command onto a keypad.

Their waitress had returned. But someone else had gained her attention— the manager by the looks of it— and she scurried away.

In the next instance, the Ruler removed his hands from the table.

Had he done that to insure their privacy?

"Your part with Issei is what gained my attention," he said. He folded his hands below his chin while propping his elbows onto the table. "Only that. Just enough for you to be on my candidate list. I've interviewed a lot of others for this task who have gained my attention equally. You are no better than them nor are you any less. This interview today was to see how you would react and see if you were the one who is best qualified."

"Did you dissect the other candidates just as thoroughly?" she asked, adjusting her glasses and giving him a glare.

"Yes," he replied bluntly. "If not me then by Dick. You have my regrets for offending you and making you uncomfortable."

She nodded, accepting his apology. "What exactly were you looking for, Mister Ruler?"

"Someone who wouldn't use my power or influence for their own gain," he answered in a tone that suggested he had said this countless times before. And perhaps he had. "If you had Genshirou already, what would you have requested from me?"

"…For Issei to have a normal life," she admitted.

Her answer, it seemed, had surprised him. He had been expecting something else and had been unprepared for her response. "I… see. I believe you."

Whether it had been good or bad, she did not know. He placed a few bills onto the table and gestured for her to follow him. They walked in silence back down the hallways until they were outside the crowded streets of Los Angeles.

"I used to come here all the time with my father," he said. "In the previous world, I mean. The man here who is supposed to be my father is an imitation of the former and I haven't talked to him since I was— supposed to be anyways— sixteen. Going through puberty twice is a pain in the ass. Once a month we went. Mostly because the man couldn't cook to save his life— he always ate out with clients or his mistress of the week cooked for him— and because the court required I be with him at least once a month.

"Never shared a conversation with that man. Not one. But this place is the closest thing to a home I've ever had. I simply had to have it in this world. It's funny what you'd do because of family, isn't it?"

He wasn't expecting an answer from her. His eyes were wandering elsewhere.

Sona watched him closely.

"Good night, Miss Sitri," he said, all without looking at her. "Enjoy the rest of your evening and hopefully we'll meet again."

"Does this mean I didn't pass?" she asked, surprised of herself for speaking up.

"Oh no, you met all my expectations," he answered. "But you've made me realize something. I've realized I shouldn't drag you into something like this. It would be unfair having done this much with your conviction to return empty handed. So… I'll have Siegfried return Saji. It won't be immediate. I'm looking at month. Technicalities and regulations prevent me from directly intervening with the mechanics of the World and those who reside within it. I can do little things for immediate results, like that waitress earlier. But something like convincing a teenage hardy is going to require a more delicate touch."

"And what will you do, Mister Ruler?" she found herself asking.

"Stick with Dick as much as I can and pray for the best," he admitted while scratching the back of his head.

…The Ruler of the World _praying_ was an image that baffled her. How exactly does the one at the top of the totem pole pray?

"If you are willing…" she approached him again with slow and steady steps. "I'd like to continue our discussion over the terms of our contract."

He didn't say anything. His lips pressed into a thin line as he thought it over. And still he never looked her way. He was staring across the street when he answered. "I'll not be giving you another request. You'll basically be doing it all for free. It's not worth it. I guarantee, Miss Sitri, you will never be the same again. Once you step out of your comfortable little circle called Earth… everyone you see here will be two-dimensional."

He gestured towards everyone walking up and down the pavement.

"…Is that how you look at it?" she asked.

"That's how it is," he stated. "Characters in a story of a book I'm constantly reading. To you, this is reality."

"…Mister Ruler, I'll have you know something." She moved in front of him so to look directly at him. She released a bit of her demonic energy, a small drop but focused. It was a charm that made him, begrudgingly as he tried to fight it, stare directly into her eyes.

"My life has never been the same since _you_ made Hyoudou into what he is."

He made a sour face. His eyes narrowed, squishing together as though peering into a bright light. Eventually she released the charm and his eyes shot away from her.

"I happen to know a small café nearby," she pressed on. "Shall we finish our conversation there?"

"Are all Devils this pushy?" he groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "Alright, alright. We'll _talk._ But I'll be doing everything I can to convince you otherwise, Miss Sitri."

"You'll find there is no one better at persuasion than I," she boasted. "And please, Mister Ruler, call me Sona. We will be working together for a short amount of time."

"…Talk about confident," he muttered, almost slurring his words. "Um… I suppose 'Ruler' is a little much. I guess you can call me… Jay. Jay Arlington."

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Mister Arlington," she greeted.

"…Just Jay is fine."

"HEY YOU!"

Both their heads turned to see their waitress had ran out of the door to confront them. She held the wad of bills in her hands.

"This isn't enough for the bill!"

The color from Jay's face washed away. He had a sour and frightful expression that made him look like he wanted to hide his existence. "Ah. Y-Yeah. One sec. Sorry about that. Here, let me give you…"

He pulled out his wallet and fumbled around with it. Sona immediately noticed there was no cash within the compartments nor were there any cards. He was just fumbling around to stretch time and to come up with an excuse for why he couldn't pay the waitress.

The look on his face. The nervous twitch. His attire. The choice of cuisine. The contents of his wallet.

…Did the Ruler have financial troubles? Surely one who controls and maintains the World and its entirety couldn't have something as ordinary as financial crisis.

"Yeah, here we go," he said suddenly. Sona was about to save him and offer the remaining balance. She even had an adequate excuse thought in mind for his expense.

But he wouldn't allow that. He produced a small pellet from his wallet, something small that had been tucked away in a hidden pocket. With a flick of his wrist he threw it at the ground.

The street lit up. The pellet produced a small flash that blinded everyone watching. Even Sona was dazed by the light.

"Run!" the Ruler said, taking her hand and nearly dragging her down the street as they fled from the scene.

*Scene*

The Familiar's Forest was a preserved and well-guarded location within the Underworld. It was located in the Underworld's equivalent of Africa and took up thirty percent of the country's territory. Trying to cross it would take months.

Though it was named as a forest, it was anything but. The more popular locations had seas of trees that housed the least violent of creatures for the magically gifted to capture. The territories of the Familiar's Forest stretched out into open planes, lakes, mountain ranges, deep caverns, and barren wastelands.

There were no laws that forbade hunters from poaching the lands. Some of the guilds around the supernatural community encouraged it. The rare materials found in requests were often only found in the Familiar's Forest. There was never a need for such a law to safeguard any of the species living within because the territory was already a self-operating labyrinth of its own.

The heart of the forest contained the friendlier of creatures— often captured to become pets. But the further one traveled the less friendly the creatures became. The furthest reaches contained the most primeval of monsters found in ancient folklore. There were rumors something on par with the gods resided within each terrain, acting as guardians and kings over the lands they dwelled in.

It sounded like an RPG world made real to Issei.

"Dragoon…-chan…" Serafall huffed with her body hunched over and hands resting on her knees. "You… gained weight again."

"I'm sorry, Leviathan-san," he bowed in sincere apology. She had teleported him to the Underworld. She had mentioned the distance was greater than when they went to the beach. Something about needing to cross through the Dimensional Gap… yeah it all blew over his head.

"I could have helped, y'know," Richard Royals spoke up. "How 'bout when we leave I go an' take the two of you up with me, yeah?"

It was just the three of them this evening. The morning was frantic as everyone had breakfast at his place. Everyone had opinions and suggestions on what sort of familiar he should search for. Koneko wanted nothing perverted, Akeno _wanted_ something perverted, and Rias wanted something ridiculously powerful and vicious… Her eyes sparkled when the master-eating Hydra was brought up.

It wasn't until the group went to school could he ask for Amelia's opinion. She suggested he pick something he could use for the Rating Game against Rolan. Normally, familiars wouldn't be allowed but the challenge had been made by Demon Lord and King of the Fae. The same rules didn't apply. Issei was free to choose whoever he wanted to be in the Rating Game, whether they were in his peerage or not.

…He wasn't too happy about not having a super sexy monster girl. But she made a good point.

"Get Daze~"

There was something moving within the trees. His eyes shot up just in time to see—

"My eyes!" he screamed and had to look away.

—was a grown-ass man wearing clothes befitting of a child. Shorts that were up to his thighs, a stretched out shirt with some gamer's logo on it, fingerless gloves, sneakers with tall socks, and a cap placed backwards.

The man jumped down and approached the group.

"Satouji, how's it going?" Richard greeted with a wave of his hand.

"That's _Master_ Satouji to ya!" the man, Satouji, bellowed. He bumped his chest with his fist. "I'm not the Familiar Master for nothin' y'know!"

…Oh by the great Nintendo gods. A certain eternally ten-years-old trainer had made himself into a Devil. Was it because he couldn't acquire a League Championship? Was it because he couldn't achieve his dream of being a Master? There was a deeper story here. A very tragic and depressing story that hurt Issei's inner childhood.

"I'll call you whatever when you beat Gary!" Richard argued back.

"T-That name…"

In the next instant, Satouji was in the fetal position, slowly rocking himself back and forth as he drew symbols in the ground.

"…I don't understand," Issei admitted.

"Satouji-san is the Familiar Master," Serafall chimed in, having caught her breath. "He was an exquisite hunter back in his prime. Now that's he's a reincarnated Devil he's put his skills to use and is acknowledged as the Underworld's best familiar tamer. Everything you need to know he knows."

"And with that we get to the crux of our goal," Richard pulled out a sheet of paper, flicked it once, and through some spell had it extend into a fully detailed map. "Alright, Satouji, we need you to guide us to the upper region. The Crystal Cavern, if you can."

"Crystal Cavern, huh?" Satouji had practically teleported and gotten over his breakdown. He was leaning over Richard's shoulder and examining the map. "That would be… here. Ain't nothing but some rock monsters. A few crystal beasts. Deepest part has that crystal fairy dragon. Been meaning to catalogue it but could never get too close. I'd appreciate it if you could help me with that."

"…Royals-san," Serafall tilted her head and approached the Archmage. She kept her hands behind her back with her adorable persona present. But it was her tone of voice that betrayed her. "I thought we agreed to allow Dragoon-chan to choose his partner."

"I agreed on nothing," Richard retorted. "We're here because Ise needs a damn good guard dog. And I happen to know just the thing. Satouji, are you aware of anything within the core of the Crystal Caverns?"

"Huh? Core?" Satouji scratched his head. A few flakes fell out. "No one's been past that dragon. I wouldn't know what's—"

"There's no point in lying, Satouji," Richard rolled up his map. "I did the math myself and only needed you to confirm it. Since you're hiding it then I know there's something there."

"…What's there?" Serafall asked through narrowed eyes.

"Something recorded by the Mad Arab," Richard shared with an excited smile. "The crystals act as a medium between our world and theirs. They are what links us to the realm of angles. It's not perfect but it'll do. Once we get in there I can open a gateway and invite _them._ "

"O-Oi," Satouji tried to place his input. "That dragon is artificial. Someone put it there to act as a guard. Something to stop people like you from doing just that!"

"The law requires any evil spirits be extinguished at all costs and anyone attempting to conjure any be met with equal prejudice," Serafall recited with a sharp glare towards Richard.

"Good thing they're not evil," he shrugged. "And they're not spirits. They're Outsiders. Once we place a Predator Piece on them can we—"

"No thank you, Richard-san," Issei spoke up. "I appreciate it. But I'd like to look for my own familiar. I'm not really interested in a guard dog."

Richard frowned. "I think you should reconsider. Mh'ithrha would be the greatest guardian you could possibly dream of. His Hounds of Tindalos would be ideal. They can cross through dimensions, through time if needed, and cannot be touched by anything corporeal or ethereal. Even you Predators wouldn't be able to stop them."

He couldn't deny that bit was tempting.

"If I can't stop it if needed, I don't think I'd want them left alone with those I love," he said after some thought.

"…Alright," Richard nodded with understanding. "What sort of familiar are you looking for then?"

His hands immediately went to his pocket. There was a piece of paper that had a grand list of qualities he and the club thought of. But he didn't pull it out. He thought better.

"Something… strong and intelligent," he answered. "Something that can support me in battle as a Predator and with my Devil duties as a Demon Lord."

"That… is a pretty tall order," Richard nodded once more, albeit slowly. "What do you got for us Satouji?"

Serafall beamed him a smile and a thumbs-up.

Satouji was busy rubbing the bottom of his jaw in thought. "Predator, you say? Demon Lord? Those some fancy new titles you city folks came up with? Eh, I'm going to just assume they're both pretty important. Let's see…"

This was… a nice change of pace. He didn't lose his focus or trip balls at the mention of Issei being a Predator. It meant the man was ignorant. The entirety of the Devil society was made aware of the existence of Predators since the Rating Game against Raizer. Satouji was probably the only exception.

Satouji pulled out a book from his back pocket and flipped through the pages. "I got here a few things. We got the Hydra; spits out acid that can melt just about anything. Known for killing its masters. There's the Four Horsemen… they tend to run around randomly. Tiamat, one of the five Dragon Kings and supposedly the strongest of them. Akeldama, a Progenitor-class vampire down south of here—"

"No vampires, please," Issei blurted out as he cringed.

Satouji made a note on his book. "Right. The Singing Sword up in the mountains— and it literally sings and is said to hold high intelligence and can charm just about anyone. A Ziz; said to be the descendant of the original further up north. The Jabberwock; an invincible creature with high intelligence that can only be hurt by the Vorpal sword of the Carol family. And the Gorgon sisters east of here who can turn anything into stone just like the legends.

"They're all the top-class with the exception of those like Tannin who are around to keep order. The ones I listed are the only ones applicable to be your familiar… provided you can tame them."

"…They're no Outsiders," Richard crossed his arms. "But they show potential. Where do you want to start, Ise?"

Vorpal was in his hands. He twirled the bladeless hilt between his fingers (fumbling but quickly recovering). "Let's go down the list. But I want to see what happens when I show this to the Jabberwock."

"Ooo!" Serafall was rather excited. "I want to see that too! They say he screamed like a little girl with Alice flashed it across his face."

"I'll prepare a magic circle," Satouji shut his book and pulled out a pack of grounded chalk. "It's a little ways off."

"Erk…" Serafall visibly flinched. She began to sweat buckets as her eyes nervously stared at Issei.

Issei sighed, "Just tell me where to go and I'll find you."

She had no shame in giving that heavy sigh of relief.

"Eh? You don't mean to fly, do ya?" Satouji asked halfway done with his project. "Even the swiftest of Devils would take half a day traversing that sort of distance. We have markers for teleportation for a reason."

Issei's answer to his question was to activate his Gift of Flight, letting the man-child soak in the rays of their cosmic light, and vanish faster than a blink.

…Without any clue which direction to go.

*Scene*

She stirred.

"Is there something the matter, Ma'am?" Jerald, one of the many butlers, asked as soon as he sensed her dismay.

The taste of her tea became cold and sour. Almost as if it had rotted in an instant. It was that scent she picked up in the breeze that made it this way.

"Inform the house I will be stepping out for some time," she instructed. Her movements were beyond grace and elegance. Her form outclassing the concepts of liquidity. She was out of her chair, standing, stalking, and peering over the balcony all within one fluid gesture. Each step and flow from her body matching into one singular command.

"Shall I clean up then?" Jerald queried about the sheets of papers scattered across her work table.

"Leave it," her voice was as sharp and jagged as shattered glass. Not something irregularly seen when around her presence but it was exceptionally noticeable today. "Ajuka will have his answer by the morrow. See to it nothing is disturbed."

Jerald said something else but she was no longer paying attention. That was the problem when dealing with affairs of the lower dimensional denizens. After a while they tend to lose their luster. It was the same with repeating a word over and over. No matter how _special_ it may be, it eventually loses its value after prolonged interaction.

She felt like an observer within an art museum. Oh, this portrait was pretty. That one had wonderful shading. What an abstract perspective…

In the end she lost her interest and moved on to the next point. But necessity demanded she interacted with the same characters again and again. Here was food and water but she needed to stay in the same room with only these things to entertain her. They may have been marvelous at a first glance but eventually, as the centuries moved on, they quickly dried out.

It was maddening. If the Black Sun had never committed such a heinous crime she would have moved on to the next World to repeat the process. But here was the only place she could flourish. Here was the only place her Law could exist. Here was her prison. And out there was the darkness and demise.

Her eyes shifted over the frozen plains of her kingdom. Well… of the kingdom she assumed. The one who molded it from nothing hadn't been her but the one she was imposing as. It was another trinket, another piece of jewelry to wear and flash at her peers. And, sure, it was something beautiful to look at.

But when one is a Primordial Lawmaker… such materialistic possessions are pointless, if not petty.

The wind buffed against her face again. She closed her eyes and took in the scent it had carried. When she opened her eyes again, something feral stirred within her core. It made her body react viciously.

"Ddraig…" she sang. Something between soothing bliss and ravenous thirst.

There was supposed to be a history between the Red Heavenly Dragon and the Mother of all Dragons. She was supposed to play the part, to become the actress assuming the role of Tiamat and read from the script. It was all the other Lawmakers have done thus far to blend in with the World. She shouldn't have been any better.

But she'd rather ignore something as… mundane as a lover's spat. What did she care how Tiamat felt about Ddraig? What did she care how their affairs were never finished because he was foolish enough to be sealed? It wasn't any of her business. It wasn't her problem.

However… she knew the truth behind Ddraig. It was why she had followed _him_ out here, having subjugated herself as a character to the Ruler's Dream. It was why, following her poetic heart, she chose to wear the skin of Tiamat.

[Twilight] released a sigh of relief, grief, woe, and hatred all at once. It made her body shudder.

This scent… this heavenly scent. It wasn't that disgusting musk overbearing his presence like some cheap knockoff cologne. This wasn't the scent of the Welsh Dragon nor of those insufferable Red Dragon Emperors.

This was the scent of…

A warm feeling made her cheeks glow with delight. The mortals will never understand how long she had waited for this moment. What could have been perceived as eons to them was immeasurable to her. Time did not exist to their kind and was only made apparent to the lesser dimensional beings. But, surely, undeniably, she had waited for a _long_ time.

She moved, disappearing from the balcony to meet with her dearly beloved.

*Scene*

"Hey, Ise," Richard called out while they took a break. They huddled along a pile of rocks while Satouji charted out the map after pursuing the Ziz. A pile of rocks Issei had created upon knocking onto the side of the giant bird and slamming it into the side of the mountain. Richard dusted off the smaller pebbles to sit on the flat of one rock while Serafall sat a few meters away at the edge of the cliff.

Richard had made sure to keep his attention locked on her always. She noticed. She was observing him just as closely.

"Yeah, what's up Richard-san," Issei approached the Archmage after plucking some of the feathers out of his clothing. While he may be invincible, his cotton shirt was not. The feathers of the Ziz had stabbed a few holes in it.

"I meant to ask ya. What'cha doin' about the Predator Pieces I gave ya?"

"…I want you to destroy them," Issei said in a low and tense voice. "Neither Amelia nor I know how to. She tried but her abilities don't work on them. You put something on them to shield them, didn't you?"

"Can't believe you're really that serious about it," Richard smacked his lips. "A'ight. Listen. I put a lot of hard work on those things. You don't need to use them on your lovelies, and I respect that. But you'd still might want to consider using them to improve your chances on the Rating Game. The Ruler wants you to win, Ise."

"I don't want to be a Predator," Issei nearly snarled. "I wouldn't want anyone to have this. What makes you think I'd have anyone—"

"If they were called Dragon Pieces you'd totally have a different opinion about them," Richard pointed out. "If I said instead of the World telling them stuff their natural instinct would be heightened on par with yours, you'd be down for it. I know you, Ise. And I didn't because I respect ya. I thought you'd be mature enough to think thoroughly about this. I thought we were close enough for you to trust me."

Issei had a grim face as he looked away. "Richard-san… It's been a bad couple of months. The best friend I had for years… He wasn't who I thought he was. He was… _him_ the entire time. And I've been tricked too many times. I'm sorry. But I don't trust you. Not when you come to me like this. It sounds like something Rolan would do."

Richard didn't say anything. He sat forward with his elbows propped on his knees and hands cupped together. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

"A'ight," the Archmage groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "I know where you're comin' from. Seriously. The misses was married to another Archmage, did I tell ya that? Before me. For a while I couldn't… I get ya. I do. It ain't the same but I get it.

"Gimme a Piece. I'll use it on myself to show you what it does."

Issei turned to look back at the magician. The man was serious. His neon green eyes pierced through his shades, never blinking once as he stared straight at Issei.

"No," Issei said with finality. There would be no argument whatsoever. "That won't be enough to convince me."

"…Yeah," Richard reclined his head. "They fudged ya that bad, huh? Man, Ise, what did they put you through where you can't even trust me?"

When it came to the affiliation to any of the Predators, Richard Royals was a neutral party. He was willing and able to provide services to any of them should they require it. Issei had ordered a large series of products from the Archmage over the years (with less than half of them actually being finished). He was never disappointed in their results.

But it was Rolan who had introduced Issei to the Archmage of Wales. It was Rolan who pointed out if there was anything Issei would ever need he should ask Richard.

He couldn't trust Richard. The Predator Pieces Richard had made could have been something Rolan wanted Issei to get his hands on. How convenient was it that he had been able to 'steal' them from Rolan? Or how it was Rolan who gave Issei his set of Evil Pieces? He could have just handed over a single Queen Piece but instead chose to give him the whole set (sans the King).

Issei didn't sense any lies coming from Richard. But he couldn't believe for a second it was the Ruler who had an interest. If the Ruler of the World didn't before, why would he now?

Because he defeated the Vampire? What a stupid answer.

"I'll do it," Serafall spoke up.

Her head had been cocked back and turned just enough to see both of them. Her legs continued to sway off the cliff's side with her back arched and hands planted behind her. However cute it may have been, she had dropped her childish personality in favor of a more stalwart expression.

"…Why?" Issei couldn't help but ask.

"Because I'm willing to do anything for my sister," she answered in a firm voice. "I don't want to be a part of your peerage, Dragoon-chan. But I am still your Knight Proxy for the Rating Game. You and I are going to fight Obi-tan and whatever he throws at us even if it will just be the two of us. I'm not as strong as you are. So if this will help… I'll take it."

"You don't know what you're asking for," Issei argued.

Something shifted in her gaze. Those playful sapphire eyes of hers turned into something menacing. Something haunting. Something belonging to a beast who was starving for blood and gore. A vengeful creature whose only purpose of existing was to bathe in the blood of all who opposed it and to tear flesh apart.

But along with this rancorous hunger came… grief. Sorrow. Regret. Disappointment.

"…I do," was all she said before ending the conversation. She looked away, turning her head back towards the horizon.

"You two should talk when ya can," Richard said as he lifted himself off of his makeshift seat. At some point it had been carved by his magic into a comfortable chair. "But I don't think you'll need to. Her mind seems pretty set. Best do it under your demands else she does it by her own. Did I mention she don't need your consent to take one and put one in herself?"

"…What?" Issei's eyes sharpened.

"There wasn't enough room," was Richard's excuse. "Know how hard it is to program all that stuff in a three inch device? Takes up more power than the Pieces Beelzebub made. Satouji! Where's our next target?"

He patted Issei's shoulder before walking away to talk with the Familiar Master.

Serafall's head had turned at the information. Her eyes followed him with her brows furrowing gradually. The smallest curve of a frown distorted her pretty face.

Issei chose to sit next to her. "Leviathan-san, don't. I'm not asking you. It's not a request. I'm telling you. Not as a Demon Lord to the Leviathan."

"…You mean as a Predator?" her eyes shifted back over towards him. "Dragoon-chan, can you look at me and tell me you have a way to beat Obi-tan? If you're not going to use Ria-tan and everyone else… Do you think you can win with just you, me, and Serene-tan?"

"There has to be another way," he said, more to himself than to her.

"There always is," she agreed. "But can you find one with only a month left?"

She left him with that question as she went to discuss the next location to search for his familiar with the other two. Issei remained sitting there even after they vanished.

*Scene*

"What are my expectations for this assignment?" Sona asked.

The Ruler wrapped his hands around the mug of coffee. A heavy look of shame and embarrassment wore on his entire being. "Like I said, you would be taking notes. There are going to be a lot of things flying around and I need someone who can record everything. I don't expect you to understand anything. I doubt you could. But I'm willing to answer any questions you have whenever we'd have breaks."

She adjusted her glasses (which triggered him to do the same). "Yes, I understand that much so far. I was wondering about the theme of this gathering."

Jay blinked a couple of times. With his glasses it was almost like watching the lenses themselves open and close by some shutter. "The, uh, meeting is for Lawmakers."

"Yes…" she nodded patiently. "But is there any reason in particular you would be attending? Surely there is a reason for you to be present rather than to just serve as host."

He became unsure of himself again as his face turned away. Getting him to look her way was difficult— it was a game of boosting his confidence and asking the right things. But now he was timid and reclusive.

At first she thought it was all an act. And maybe it still was. But for now she interpreted (and was skeptical believe) the Ruler of the World was introverted.

"I would prefer to ignore them…" he said slowly, trying to find the right words to use. "I've been ignoring them for quite a while. They do well to blend in. But, lately, there's been too many of them and they're changing too many things. They're not prone to my Rules and they follow their own. Sometimes they even change the things I've been working on. They're as annoying as my editor."

She cocked a brow at the last comment and made a note to come back to that later.

After shuffling around in his seat, the Ruler answered properly. "The purpose of this gathering is to… go over a set of guidelines, I guess. See, Primordials usually stay, uh, up in their pedestal. A higher plane of existence. Sometimes they'll come down into the physical realm. But not really. They… project an image they want into our realm and live vicariously through it.

"But… that's rare. Like, seriously rare. As a Ruler I would have been lucky to have seen _one_ of them throughout the entirety of the World's existence. It's a thousand times more rare to see more than one in the same World. But… due to… circumstances, let's say, they're being forced to migrate on this spot. This is the first I've ever heard such a large group of them are gathering."

Sona took the chance to sip from her mug in order to let time pass and allow her to roll the information through her head. "Would you happen to know the cause of all this?"

He was silent. A flash of melancholy swept through his eyes as he drank his coffee. His eyes bore into the dark liquid but never staring straight at it. His attention was lost elsewhere.

"Maybe some other time I'll tell you," he shook his head. "That's still assuming _if_ you get the job in the first place."

"Of course," Sona conceded.

"These things are scatterbrained and arrogant," he continued. "They do whatever they want and never discuss things with me or their other selves. So when they want to do something, they do it. And if it crosses against something their counterpart is doing, then it causes a big mess for me to clean up. I want to sit down with all of them and… talk. Just talk. I'd like to set up some house rules for them and hope they listen to reason. If they're going to live here then they need to stop causing so much trouble."

"That sounds proficient," she noted. "But if these beings are as… important as you say, do you have a means to make them listen to reason?"

"It's within my full authority to eject them out of the World," he answered bluntly. "That's something I'd like to use as a last resort. They are the Lawmakers. I'm sure they are willing to listen to reason and negotiate terms."

"Do you have any rules in mind set and how they will be governed?"

He frowned, "Something of the sort. Hold on. I have a few of my notes here…"

He patted himself down until he found what he was looking for. From his back pocket he pulled out a small leather-bound notebook. Sona picked it up as soon as he passed it along and she found some difficulty in trying to read his scratchy handwriting. Especially when half of it was in print and the other cursive. Some of the words were a mixture of both.

…She realized she was reading a passage in regards to something called Synthesis. A remarkable Rule created by the previous Rulers in which could take two or more substances and—

"Oh, sorry," Jay pulled it out of her hands before she could read the finer details about the Rule. He flipped through the pages until he found the right passage before handing it back to her. "This one. Right here. Stuff about how things should be discussed, how trades work, registering identifications— all that jazz."

She nodded before fixing her glasses… while taking note how he did the same again. She was curious if he was going to do that every time she did so and planned to investigate this in the next ten minutes. It didn't seem like he was doing it on purpose with the way his attention was constantly drawn away from her.

After a few short minutes of trying to decipher his… unique script, Sona began to piece things together. She understood where the Ruler was coming from and understood his initial goal for something like this. Earlier ideas had been crossed out with new ones etched in miniscule lettering over them.

"What was the basis of your governing system?" she asked. "If I'm not wrong… I'm leaning towards Ancient Roman Republic."

"You're not wrong," he shrugged. "I figured if they wanted something done they can present it before their peers and discuss it. Take a vote. And if they can't come to a decision within an certain amount of time then a speaker should make one for them."

"That speaker being you?"

"I'd like to avoid that," he adjusted his glasses this time. The ten minutes had been up and she moved her hands to do so. But he beat her to it and didn't get her hand off the table. Interesting. "Let one of them govern their own. I'm not well-versed in their politics. I just want them to stop fighting all the time and get along."

"…If you are willing to listen," she jumped for the opportunity. "I do happen to have a few suggestions to improve what you have thus far."

He didn't say anything for a moment. He took a sip of his coffee while his eyes stared out of the window beside them. His eyes flickered about, staring at the people passing by.

"Sure," he said eventually. "Why not. I'm pretty lost in this mess so anything you can give me would be helpful."

She smiled. Now they were beginning to play a game she knew she could win.

*Scene*

Issei was starting to feel like a bully by the time he met up with the Hydra.

It was a ferocious creature, without a doubt. It towered over him at fifty meters tall. There were nine heads in total and each head carried a set row of teeth as sharp as knives. Its spit was acidic and completely decimated everything it touched. It was also a very clever creature, using the swamplands to the full advantage. It was able to swim through the mucky rivers and slither through the trees with unreal ease. All the heads were in unison agreement, probably having had to spend centuries together with another. They knew what they were doing.

But just like with the Jabberwock and Ziz… he had yet to need to activate his Balance Breaker.

"I don't think this is the one I'm looking for," he said while sitting on top of the head of the alpha. Among the nine this one was bigger with thicker scales and a unique set of spikes running down its spine. Everything it did was quickly followed by the others.

"Really? I thought this would be a good match," Richard said from his spot on a fallen log.

"I can feel it trying to figure out a way to kill me," Issei explained while he patted the head of the creature he had dominated. All the heads flinched, having been caught before their plan could gain a hold. "It's a pretty sore loser. I can't keep my guard up forever around it."

"Lies!" Richard barked. "You're a Predator! That alarm system in your head is _always_ on!"

"That's not the point!"

He was starting to get a little irritated with Richard. The Archmage was determined to finding the ideal guardian for Issei. Something powerful enough to suppress any of the other Predators should Issei find himself distracted. But Issei didn't want that and expressed his opinion on it. Richard had done nothing but critique him since having his idea of the Outsiders (whatever those were in the first place) shot down.

"If that's a no then let's get out of here!" sulked Serafall. "I'm getting mud all over my boots! And we only have a few hours before daybreak."

"She's right," Satouji said, scratching his head after jotting down a few notes about the Hydra in his catalogue. "The ritual only works at night. Best done under the full moon but I think Royals-dono can make it work. We have enough time to look for one… maybe two more. Which one next?"

Issei didn't respond. Something… strange had caught his attention. It felt like a gust of wind— something chilling compared to the gaseous humidity present. But there was no wind. Nothing had brushed against his face.

And yet… he couldn't help but feel like something— or someone— had brushed their hand against his cheek.

Whatever it was… it was coming from…

He realized, whatever it could be, it was calling out to him. It was drawing his attention on purpose and trying to lure him towards its location. He hesitated. He extended his senses, giving his conscious mind to the World, and searched for the origin of this beacon.

And she _stared back._

"What was that…?" he muttered below his breath.

"What was what?" Richard called up to Issei. He pulled out his personal map of the Familiar's Forest and crosschecked it with wherever Issei was looking. "More of the bayou, some dense forests with a few fairies, and then a dead end. Frozen terrain as far as the eye can see. That's… what? Tiamat's territory, Satouji?"

"Tiamat, huh?" Serafall thought for a moment. Her chin lowered with a finger tapping against her lips. "She's been applicable as a familiar for… ever. I don't think anyone's been able to tame her. I don't know why she even registered herself. She mostly works with Aju-tan over matters on Rating Games. Last I heard they were working together on rebuilding the arena since Dragoon-chan tore it down."

Satouji flipped a few pages with his thumb until he came to the particular page about Tiamat. "Yup. The only female of the Dragon Kings and said to be the strongest. Mother of all Dragons and primordial god of the oceanic chaos. She's just as powerful as any of the Maou. So if you're looking for heat, she's your best bet."

Issei felt uneasy about this. She was watching him. From the great distance she could see through the miles of land, through the sea of trees, and stare back at him. She was watching him closely. From this far away he couldn't get a read on her emotional state. But from what he could gather from the World it told him Tiamat was as big of a threat to him as Serafall Leviathan.

And yet… another part of Issei was telling him something else. Intuition, he supposed. It was telling him the World was wrong and there was more than what meets the eyes.

This unease was only fueled by the aching sensation coming from his lower back. The wings that made up his Gift of Seduction twitched as if agitated by her appearance.

That was a first. Usually the unused Gift ignored him just as much as he ignored it.

"…I'm going to… see for myself," he said slowly, almost unsure of himself. He didn't wait for a response. His Gift of Flight activated and he took off in a multi-colored streak of florescence.

The Hydra, no longer being needed for subjugation, slinked back into its watery home. It could have sighed in relief… but such a notion couldn't have been possible by such a creature.

"Oh! That's right!" Serafall's eyes went wide as she realized something. She knocked a fist into her open palm at what she recalled. "Tiamat totally had a thing for Ddraig!"

Both remaining males blinked in unison and stared at her.

"She doesn't like talking about it," Serafall huffed as if the lack of telling of one's intimate life was an insult. "But every now and then she slips. You know, that long stare into the distance as she recalls the glory days of a lost love. That deep sigh knowing how long you've been separated… The doll she clutches closely to her chest when she goes to sleep and pretends it's of the one she loves the most… Waaaaaaaaaaaah I miss my So-taaaaaaaaaaan~"

…At some point, somewhere, Serafall had stopped talking about Tiamat and had begun to tell about her own personal issues.

She cried her eyes out while clutching the Sona-doll Issei had constructed.

*Scene*

Here he came, her heart flustered as she saw the radiant wings of a King of Ancients Greater than Man. Yes, this was the one she had seen in the temporal arena that housed those silly Rating Games. She recalled every instance where word had told her about the Red Dragon Emperor. About how this generation was different.

It was all because of those wings was she able to learn the truth. Anyone of her kind should have known by seeing them. The Dra'cueri Gift of Flight was granted to those who had overcome one of her kind through sheer tenacity and will. It meant whoever this vessel was, he had overpowered her dearly beloved in the rite of conquest. She thought for the longest time her beloved had foolishly fallen so low to have a _human_ bind him. It was embarrassing enough having the Incarnation of the Heavens contain him into a piece of Phenomenon.

But when she watched the young one participate in the Rating Game, her attention was drawn towards him. The way he moved. The way he commanded his comrades. The way he _breathed_ authority and power equal to one of her own. It baffled her at first until, slowly, she began to realize she had been wrong all along.

And then when he released all that power. When he had brought down the artificial world and exposed everyone to the Dimensional Gap. It was not some worthless vessel. Not some usurper who had tricked Ddraig into handing over his heart and soul. What she had borne witness to on that day…

"Hello, Ddraig," she purred as soon as the hatchling landed a few meters before her. Her eyes traced over his form. He had taken the form of the vessel who had housed him. But both vessel and inmate were now one. Both had been melded into one being.

It didn't matter to her. It was still her dearly beloved to her.

"Um… hi?" he said, scratching the back of his head as he became unsure of himself. "Sorry, I'm not Ddraig. W-Well… I kinda am but that's not… My name's Hyoudou Issei. You, uh, called for me?"

Ddraig but not Ddraig. He wouldn't be wrong. Had his happenstance occurred on any other World and he would have been an usurper. And she would have crushed him to hide such an embarrassment.

But, thanks to that Rule of Synthesis…

"I know who I speak to," she replied. "You are the Pawn of Rias Gremory. I've seen you make a mess of my things. It's been tedious work trying to repair what you've destroyed. But I forgive you. It's kept me occupied and I'm glad to know you are finally free from your… mishap."

"…Uh huh," he nodded slowly with a dumb look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked next. "And without your master? Are you not here on business as a Devil then? Well. If that's the case then come on. I've been longing to get reacquainted with you."

"Sorry, wait, what?" he blinked. "I-I am here as a Devil. I'm trying to find the right familiar! I thought you were up to the task because you were the one who called for me! And, sorry, but I don't know who you are. But you must have known Ddraig since—"

"What did you just say to me?" something cold and sharp slipped out of her tone. Her eyes became hard. "Do not joke with me about this. I'm not laughing. Surely a few false centuries couldn't have dulled your wits, Ddraig."

"I mean it," he said in a more solid voice. "Please stop calling me that. It's complicated but I know I'm not Ddraig. I've been told he and I are the same and I'm sorry if something about me confuses you about that. But my name is Issei. Hyoudou Issei."

"…You don't remember me," she accused more than questioned.

"I never met you," he sighed with a bit of shame on his face. Again, he scratched the back of his head. "They said your name was Tiamat, right?"

"You don't remember me," she repeated. It was a realization her beloved had assumed his guise to the point where he could no longer recall who he truly was.

He had the power. He had the characteristics. He carried the dances, the dominating presence, the commanding charisma, the unbreakable will, and the brutal method of battle. He had everything belonging to her beloved. Everything but his memory, it seems.

His stance shifted. His body coiled as he picked up her intentions. He readied to defend himself.

"Let me remind you of the last time you forgot about me, brother," she hissed.

She lunged at him, crossing the distance in the blink of an eye. Her body changed shape, throwing away the visage of a mortal creature in exchange for the overbearing destructive force that was her vessel. Her hands became claws, her teeth bore fangs, her head stretched and neck extended, wings sprouting from her back and her entire body enlarging with limbs reaching out to fit proportions.

Her skin became as black as obsidian with sapphires protruding as plating to hide her weak spots. Lightning cackled down her spine that cracked through the air by the tip of her three-pronged tail.

She was a Dragon. One of the most ancient at that. One who had survived through this World's dawning age, who had survived the conflict against the titans and the heroes of old. Where her progenitor had perished, this vessel had thrived.

Ddraig moved, avoiding her first strike with a single jump to the side. He hadn't used his wings but only his physical body. He had yet to change shape or awaken his power. The only difference she could perceive were the scales running down his arms and his green eyes.

She came at him again, snapping her jaw at him in rapid succession. He flickered across the snow, able to traverse the terrain with utmost ease. As expected as a fellow Dragon… but not good enough.

Something was wrong. He moved as if something else was pulling him through metaphysical strings. Those movements weren't fluid enough. There was no grace in them. Ddraig, even in a miniscule and uncomfortable vessel such as this, should be able to move on his own merits. She realized he was using the World and its system to move for him.

He was mocking her! He wasn't even _trying!_

Her response to this insult was to open her mouth and unleash a storm of sand, lightning, and ice at her next serpentine strike.

Ddraig put up his arms in defense as he leapt up. The winds from her breath pushed him back. No amount of force she had used had been able to harm him.

Thirty meters away, he landed with his feet sliding against the snow. The front of his body was smoking from the lightning and frozen from the ice. His clothes were in tatters. But there were no wounds on his flesh. With a single flex of his arms was he able to shatter the gathering of ice that constricted his movements.

She readied herself, drawing in power from her core. Calculations ran through her mind as magic circles appeared. Such intricate patterns that would make any mage green with envy. Even those foolhardy Archmagi would have difficulty in replicating her work.

After all, these were spells that would alter the territory entirely. Spells that brought about the drought of a barren desert. To freeze hell itself in a blizzard. To bury land in tidal floods. To destroy with wind and lightning. To have fire rain from the heavens. All of these she would unleash without restraint onto her _dearly beloved._

His eyes widened as he realized her intentions. She was not going to hold back, even if it meant for him.

The territory did, indeed, change. But not because of her spells. She had yet to pull the metaphorical trigger locked inside her head.

A wave of raw **power** swept through the field. Snow melted, steaming, boiling, and parting away from Ddraig's form. All she saw was red as metaphysical winds buffed and burned against her hide. It crushed down on her body with a weight that made her bones ache. Her body had flinched upon the initial shock of this oppressive feeling.

Yes! This was the Ddraig she knew! This was the one she loved the most!

 **"Balance Breaker,"** Ddraig had announced after his transformation. That red energy cycling around him had compressed, hardened, and molded into the Scale Mail suit that made up the Red Dragon Emperor.

The air erupted in a sonic boom as he vanished.

Pain consumed her as in the next split instant he had crashed onto her front. The force of the blow knocked her back. The magic she had been gathering dispersed with the circles shattering like glass.

She recovered, regained her footing, and tried swatting him aside.

Tried.

Her claws had come right at him. He raised both his hands and caught her strike with minimal effort. Before she could retract and attempt another, he pulled and shifted himself so to leave her unbalanced. It was more than that. His strength was colossal. He continued to pull, readjusting his grip while doing so, and hefted her over his shoulder.

In the next instant she was swung overhead and slammed back down onto the unforgiving ground. The earth shook and created an impact for her to sink into the hard rock.

The pain could be ignored. The humiliation could not.

She had watched him. The way he moved. He no longer danced. He did not pay his respects in the arts of the duel. He had always done this to those _villains_ as a comical hero but not to _her_?

What's more, he continued to exploit the World. He continued to let it guide him. To let it be his handicap. He was being leisurely towards her while the World did all the work for him.

He still refused to treat her with respect.

"That's enough," he had the audacity to say. "I don't want to hurt you."

Those words. Could one such as he have the right to say such a thing?! He who refuses to remember her? Who refuses to talk with her? Who refuses to treat her with the respect of their office?!

He would rather play the role of a _mortal_ instead of a Primordial One?

 **Do you know who I am?**

Her form changed once again. No, she threw it aside. Her vessel crumbled apart, temporarily removed and to be retrieved later. Her flesh, bones, blood, her whole existence as the Chaos Dragon Tiamat was folded neatly into a pile and tucked away.

She called upon her core. Deeper. Deeper. Deeper than the reaching of any mortal who could draw into.

 **I am, First**

 **I am, Last**

Words began to appear. Words to no language. Letters to no alphabet. Grammatical rules to no civilization. But they formed a pattern. A geometric pattern not unlike those seen in the Gifts granted by the Dra'cueri King.

They knitted together around her being. They formed her visage. They shaped her body.

These words were her flesh. They were her blood. They were the essence that made up her soul.

 **My Dream, it started all**

 **My Nothing, it ends all**

There was a bit of glee within her upon seeing her dearly beloved recoil at the sight of her. She had meant to punish him. He didn't believe her. And now he will see the folly of his ways. Now he will have no choice but to partake in the dance and treat her with respect.

 **I am, Everlasting**

 **I am… [Twilight]!**

*Scene*

She had called out to him and he had answered. He was curious as to why someone like her had lured him to her. She wasn't human— not even humanoid like how the Devils and Angels pretended to be. He knew she was just like him in every way at first glance.

She was a Dragon wearing the guise of a human. Blue hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and a pressed suit with the sleeves rolled up. It was her scent that gave it away. She reeked of unbound power. It wasn't archaic like Serafall's where something as conceptual as evil and vice molded it into Devilry. It was primitive and savage. It was raw. It was a force of nature given shape and form.

But, damn, she had an impressive rack. Why do all the powerful women in his life have to have the best set of breasts?

His Gift of Seduction twitched as soon as she called him Ddraig. It made him uncomfortable being called that. Issei may have been the new Heavenly Dragon after overcoming Ddraig, but he never took up the Dragon's identity. Hyoudou Issei and Ddraig of Wales were always two different beings.

He denied it and tried to explain things. As soon as the words left his mouth did the World warn him he was in danger. He didn't need it. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know.

She changed, morphing out of her humanoid illusion and taking on the mantle of a Dragon. She attacked him and he defended himself. He never raised a hand against her. None of her attacks could have landed and those that did hardly affected him. The best she could do was push him.

He had to get serious when he realized she wasn't going to hold back. His senses flared when he felt the torrent of power gather around her. Spells he couldn't read, recognize, or understand began to form around her. It was his senses that told him of the devastating potential they would unleash and it was the World that told him he would receive a fair amount of damage if he took on all of it.

But he chose to use his Balance Breaker because her attacks would destroy the land around them. He knew there were others that had been drawn by the lull of the Dragons. He was sure Serafall and Richard could save themselves and those around them. But he wasn't sure if they would be able to stop it from decimating everywhere else.

So, he thrashed about. Not enough to wound her. Enough to shock her and cease her assaults.

He hovered above her after bringing her to the ground. With a thought he could ascend his power to greater heights and deliver another crippling blow. He would do this as many times as necessary in order to calm her down. He wanted to talk to her, to get to know her.

She knew Ddraig. He _desperately_ craved for her attention.

But then something changed. He wasn't sure what it was but it made him adjust his footing. Some innate feeling deep in his gut that clenched made his muscles coil and senses electrify. The World wasn't telling him anything new. Nor were any of his other instincts.

It was his Gifts that were trying to tell him something. He could feel them starting to heat up. They twitched, demanding for him to activate them as if they were actual wings and not magically glowing tattoos.

 **Do you know who I am?**

His eyes widened as he felt it. Felt… what? He didn't know. It was beyond him. This feeling was something entirely new. Something alien. Something that the World could not recognize and yet it did not scream at him to destroy it. Instead, the World was welcoming it. The World was telling Issei this sensation was equally a part of its machinations and yet something beyond even its comprehension.

The World became silent. It no longer provided Issei with any guidance regarding this thing.

Tiamat had… exploded. Her body had combusted into an innumerable amount of shards. Black and blue dust phased through him and enveloped the area. But they didn't vanish. Lines began to appear, like strings, and started to knit each shard together into a pattern unrecognizable. A giant web was formed around him, was tightened, and the shards began to draw back to the center.

A body was forming. A body made out of words he could not read. A body made out of songs he could not hear. A body brimming with ethereal light he could not perceive. But a body for sure and one he could acknowledge. Not see. Not sense. Not perceive.

It was as though someone had made a cut out a humanoid body out of reality.

He could not understand the hymn of authority ringing inside his head. But each syllable made his wings ache. He could feel them start to burn, demanding he awaken them. The Gift of Seduction being the louder of the two.

He couldn't understand what he was witnessing. He could not sense anything. But he _knew._ Something deep within his core was aware of this presence. It was authority given form. It was power made real. It was undeniable. It was beyond his meager existence.

Her name was [Twilight].

He gulped. He could not deny this shook him. It frightened him. Something like this shouldn't be here on this planet. It might not go against the World and its system but, by what he knew, it shouldn't be here. If this was here, then what did it mean for him to be a Predator?

No. There was no need for him to be frightened.

The Gift of Flight twitched once again. It comforted him. It reminded him.

He had seen something like this before. This body of words and song.

Ddraig… and [Potential].

She stepped forward, feet never touching the ground and reality rippling as she swam through space. Reality was like an ocean. It resisted her. But she flowed through it with ease.

She did something unexpected. Something that made him blink. All thoughts left his mind as he watched her.

She bowed first. Her arms spread at her side with fingers stretched. Light— or something similar to, he couldn't tell— extended out of her back liken to wings. They stretched and then folded back into her body by the time she stood up straight.

And then she shifted into the Assaulter stance. Something of his design. But something he didn't at the same time. Hers was… flawless. Perfect. It maximized the proficiency of offense while leaving nothing open— something he had never figured out to do.

His body was moving on its own at this point. Nothing compelled him to do it. But his legs were spread and his waist twisted. His arms parted and his stance became firm. He took up the Defender stance.

Her head lowered. He didn't know what it meant.

Reality rippled before she moved.

His defense was breached. It felt like the weight of the planet had come crashing across the side of his face. His helmet cracked against the strain and he was knocked off his feet. The world became white until he forced his senses to come back to the surface again. That single blow had almost knocked him unconscious.

Nothing had warned him about the next set of attacks. Not his Predator instincts nor his senses as a Dragon. It was as if she didn't exist and he was fighting something imaginary.

But her imaginary blows shook his world.

Blood was spat out when he felt his stomach implode. His ribs were rendered into dust. He couldn't breathe.

He didn't get the chance for his body to recover. Another sharp blow to the back of his head had his face slam against the ground.

It stopped. Whatever she had done. She was waiting patiently for him to stand.

His claws sank into the ground as his regeneration kicked in. His stomach had been mended and he gagged a few times to eject the blood that had slipped into the newly created organ. His ribs were painstakingly growing back. He could see again now that the damage to his brain had been undone. The gaping hole at the back of his skull was also sealed.

He gasped for air and quickly looked up, ready to jump away from the next set of attacks.

They didn't come. He couldn't believe it either. He took the extra few seconds to gather his bearings and make amends with what he was seeing.

She hadn't moved. At least not in the linear sense. Her stance had been adjusted such as how one would when striking and then returning to the starting position. Her fingers curled open and closed. But not once had she moved to close the distance between them.

"What the hell are you?" he demanded with a feral sneer as he wiped the blood off his helm. With his will he ascended his power, this time focusing on his senses and perceptions. He needed to see if she was attacking him through some sort of mystic assault or if she was faster than he could normally see.

All he saw was her change stances.

Another wave of assault slammed against him. His chest, his shoulders, and his head. It wasn't concussive blows. It was as though something was exploding _from_ his armor. He could not detect any tracing of energy. But she had done _something_ against him.

He roared, agitated now that nothing was progressing. He was being batted around, helpless to stop whatever she attempted.

 **"Do you know who I am?"** he snarled, giving himself up to his hatred and the bloodthirst that never washed away.

His armor shifted. Metal and flesh melded into one. His power spiked as his draconian energy was unleashed without retrain. The air became as thick as lead and the ground below quaked. The patches of grass hidden in the snow withered and died, was rejuvenated and grew in abundance, and repeated the cycle. What snow remained since his awakening didn't evaporate— it dissolved into nothingness.

She watched. Unmoving. Never flinching. Never reacting while he unleashed his Juggernaut Drive. The oppressive miasma brushed off of her.

He spoke with a voice of power invigorated by the World.

 **"I am Seventh Predator, the Dragoon!"**

 **...Hn.**

It was a sigh. She was unamused and disappointed.

He was able to see her move better. He watched as her arms moved like liquid whips, spinning some wheel carved out of reality and the words that made up her body. Something metaphysical wove together in strings of song between her fingers.

It was the World. She was using the World against him! She was fiddling with its system and making it harm _him_!

The Gift of Flight blazed at his back. The geometric wings flared like a pair of suns, setting alight the world around them. Never have they unleashed such a torrent of radiance. Never have they burned so fiercely they made reality ripple by their existence alone.

The rippling effect… it was the same as the one [Twilight] provoked.

He came to her at a speed of instance. One spot here and next there before time could progress. One of his claws curled into a fist. His power spiked as he channeled all of his might into this blow.

His hand slammed against… nothing. Reality sent a shockwave that created a crater below their feet and parted all else around them. But his fist had struck against a wall of empty space. It was no thicker than a hairline and yet it had stopped his attack from reaching her.

 **What are you doing?**

Her attack had no such restraint.

Gashes tore apart his plating and scales. He roared out in pain as he was knocked back. His regeneration was already at work. The pain only increased his anger. He drank it in. The rush for battle drove him. The carnal craving to dominate this creature sang to him. He demanded this thing to kneel before him. He was a _Predator!_

[Promotion: Bishop Juggernaut Overdrive!]

His armor changed. Vorpal resonated with his desires and altered his Sacred Gear to fit his needs. The heavier of the plating was shed off. His metal wings folded over to form a generator of gears and fans. Twin maw cannons protruded over his shoulders. And his spare arms formed one long-barrel rifle and a turret.

The generator on his back began to hum, generating a storm of energy that vibrated his surroundings.

 **Why? Why do you game like a mortal?**

"Dragon Shot!" he roared and unleashed his personal reserves while the generator continued to charge.

The turret span, discharging small bullets of Dragon Shots that were equal to the ones he could unleash through his normal Balance Breaker. Streams of crimson energy lit up the field like stars across the dark sky.

She didn't move. She only watched with a lowered head. His strikes decimated the area around her, kicking up dirt and shrapnel. Everything around her was being destroyed with even the space being incinerated, creating vacuums after every strike. She did nothing to defend herself.

Bullets bounced off that invisible barrier of hers. No. It wasn't a shield. It was more like nothing he unleashed could have reached her. It was as though she existed in a plane he could not touch. And nothing belonging to him could exist beyond that line.

The turret stopped spinning, the twelve barrels smoking and glowing hot with draconian radiation. He raised the rifle next, took aim directly at her chest, and pulled the trigger all within a single fluent action.

The barrel popped with no bullet coming out. It was a Vorpal Shot, as he liked to call it. It was a bullet in which would correct the World and remove any and all irregularities inflicted upon its system.

The invisible line separating their dimensions crumbled apart as the bullet pierced through.

He got her to move, at last.

Her arm swatted the bullet aside. A movement as fierce as lightning yet as graceful as water. It happened faster than a blink. Her body had jerked— flinching with disbelief at her protection collapsing— and she recovered to deflect the assault.

She had switched from the Assaulter stance into the Defender stance.

And then back to the Assaulter stance. All within the single span of an instant, without hesitation, and without wasted movements.

It was beyond anything he had achieved through his trial and error method. She was a master of an art form he had created.

It didn't matter. He had opened the gap between them. He had torn down her only protection and now he would unleash everything he had to defeat her.

The cannons on his side began to shake with uncontrollable strain. He pulled the metaphorical trigger. They roared with life as—

 **If you wish not to game, then I shall claim victory.**

She did something again. A small twitch of her fingers with something unseen and impossible to detect coursing through the air. It was the same gesture she made whenever she was about to attack him.

The maws of his cannons clamped shut. It sealed the energies he was about to unleash.

With no means of dispelling the collective carnage, the twin cannons burst forth in a cataclysmic detonation that blinded all in a world of red.

*Scene*

He should have been dead. Something kept him bound to this World. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. His vessel should have been beyond all means of recovering. It went beyond the cellular rejuvenation belonging to the most primal of Dragons. This was… on par to resurrection magic.

No. Not magic. A Defiant Work? No. It was even beyond that.

It was working with the World. It was rewriting his Quantum Identity Cortex to undo the damage wrought by his own foolishness. It was…

It was a Law. A Law by one of her kind was bringing him back.

The entirety of his upper body was ruined. Muscle and tendons dangled against a skeleton frame. Few chunks of flesh clung against his bones but were rendered charred. His organs did not fare any better. It was impossible to distinguish which was originally what as they were all nothing more than a gathered (and oozing) ground of cooked meat.

His head was gone. And yet despite this, he remained standing.

…Because the only thing to remain was his stomach. Such a flimsy and blackened organ that had succumbed just as much damage as any other. But survive it did.

It wiggled around. No. Something within wiggled.

Organs began to regather, reshape, and reinvigorate the body. Muscles coiled together in tethers. The bones began to regain their coloration.

…Followed by a stench most foul.

"Ophis…" she hissed. She descended back into the mortal realm, claiming her vessel as easily as one would put on a coat. The guise of Tiamat was donned once more. Her fists shook as she watched the Snake within his core recode his QIC and bring him back to life.

It irked her. Her dearly beloved had already been tainted by the former Dra'cueri Queen, [Nothing]. What could the most ancient and (second) greatest of their kind desire from something that rightfully belonged to [Twilight]?

Ddraig gasped and fell to his knees after his recovery had finished. Though he had been rejuvenated it hadn't been without a cost. He was expunged of all stamina. The Snake had drunk the last of his reserves in order to fuel the purpose of its existence.

She calmly walked towards her beloved, her hands behind her back as she peered on his shaking and weakened form. As Tiamat it would be too difficult for her to crush him. She could feel the amount of resistance his hide had gained from his prior experiences in this realm. This vessel was strong. Stronger than most things to walk this planet.

He had declared himself— she nearly spat with disgust— a _Predator._ Nothing more than a meager _dog_ to the World. And he had pronounced it so clearly and proudly as though it were the greatest achievement one can claim.

"…You really don't remember me," she muttered darkly with a bit of sadness in her voice.

She had been wrong. She should have known when he did not perform the cordial bow of accepting another duel. All of those of her kind payed their respects to another. Even that barbaric King of theirs would should any of their kind challenge him.

He didn't pay his respects because he didn't know how. He didn't treat her as an equal because he _genuinely_ couldn't remember her. He had fallen so low to become _Ddraig_ he couldn't remember who he truly was.

This had never happened before. At least as far as she knew.

"Brother," she whispered as she knelt down and pulled his face close to her. He flinched at her touch but he was too weak to fight. She embraced him, holding his head against her bosom.

"Do not fear. Your sister shall nurture you back to your glory."

0-0-0

 _ **The Hierarchy**_

 _ **Second Passage: The Primordial Lawmakers**_

Unlike their predecessors, the Originals, the Primordial Ones have no form to move about. Their true identities are the Laws they have created. It is impossible to communicate with a Primordial One directly as they have no form or will of their own. The purpose of their existence is to work mindlessly on whichever Law they have manifested as and to enforce its properties.

The Primordial Lawmakers each define a piece of the Originals' Laws in a more detailed standpoint. While it is the Originals who define what it means to exist, the Primordial Ones explain the multiple variations of existence. They declare what is physical, metaphysical, mystical, conceptual, spiritual, and traversal. Together they work in tangent to form the grand nexus that is the omniverse.

Just as they each have a purpose and role to play out in the omniverse, they each have their own order and level of authority within their branches.

Planetary Ones directly defines what it means to mold a planet, whether it shall have life, and what materials make up the elements.

Above them are the Astral Ones, who determine and rule over the system governing over individual solar systems.

Above them are the Galactic Ones, who determine and rule over the system governing over individual galaxies.

Above them are the Universal Ones, who determine and rule over the system governing over individual universes.

Above them are the Quantum Ones, who determine, define, and rule over the system that governs all universes and below along with the omniverse as a whole.

And, finally, seated at the top is the Lawmaker who holds over the Right of Authority— the seventh Gift crafted by the _Dravirik Lae'cueri_ (Kings of Ancients Greater than Man). Revered as the Dra'cueri King (or Arch-Dragon Lord), this one has complete authority over all other Primordial Ones and has the liberty to alter any of their Laws. This Right can only be acquired by a fellow Primordial through their unique and inconceivable method of gameplay.

It is unclear why, but there is a method in which a Primordial may create an avatar for their selves. It is a projection, a representation of the Law they are born as. It is no more real than something conceived through imagination. And yet, it has more than enough authority on its own to interact with any World it descends upon. These projections cannot simply appear, however. They require a vessel in order to interact in whichever dimension or plane they choose to manifest under.

These avatars also carry the ability to access their Law. When active, they become a part of the World and may fiddle with the mechanics of its system for their benefit. Two or more Primordial Ones arguing may be perceived by us as gods performing feats that defy our understanding of reality… when in truth they are doing nothing more than playing a game such as how we might play Chess or Checkers.

When in this form, the only those who can directly interact with the World's System have a means of dealing with a Primordial. These include those who can break the World's System with a Defiant Work, overriding their actions with a Rule by a Ruler, a fellow Primordial intervening, or the overwhelming jurisdiction by an Original.

Should an avatar be destroyed by any manner whatsoever, it will not affect the Law they derive from. The Law will continue to exist. And the avatar can be created anew.


	6. Fucking Fairies

**AN:** I'm advertising.

You know how some of you say "Gosh, Arry, I wish you had a book!"

Well, I don't have anything published but that's where you people come in! On my fictionpress account (the link is on my profile) is this little story called Synthesis Act IV. It's the story about Chase. Now, it would be a great help to me if any of you could go on there and read it, like it, favorite it, and/or leave a review. See, publishers look at stuff like that to see if anyone else has read the story. So if it's somewhat popular, they'll think it would do well on bookshelves to be sold.

If I have more numbers to crunch, then I wouldn't have to worry so much about it. And it also means I can leisurely get to works like this one.

Moving on, I've been ignoring my PMs because they've reached over 50 since the last time I updated something. It was a lot more but I stopped trying to skim through them all. So I'm sorry if I don't respond.

Right. So about this chapter...

ON WITH THE SHOW!

* * *

The Church was a relatively new order. It was only a little more than seven hundred years old. Ancient by the standards of the modern civilization but young when compared to the orders that have existed since the dawn of time.

Like the Acolytes and their annoying Observatory faction; Rolan couldn't believe he was actually admitting the _Observers_ were superior to the Church. If he didn't know it already was he'd have claimed the world was coming to an end.

Christianity had been around for some two thousand years, give or take a century or two. The details were a little sketchy whether Jesus Christ had been an actual person. And the foundation of their religion had existed for another four thousand years before that. But the _Church_? The actual organization was young in contrast to their preaching.

This was because of the formation of the Gathering of Heaven as the result to the Crusades. It was a branch where the heads or representatives of everyone who worshiped God could come together and discuss how they wanted their religion to be enforced— they preferred to use the word 'spread' but let's be serious here. Not every faction agreed to this; hardly any of them in reality. But it was the fist of the Catholic Church, their Knight Templars, that _made_ them agree to join. Or else.

Ah. God's chosen few. Sacking other civilizations and shoving their beliefs down their throats since the dawn of man. Including some of their own.

It was thanks to the formation of the Gathering of Heaven that gave birth to the Paladins— a breed of warrior priests aligned to no faction and only subservient to God Himself, or so they say. They were created to defend the holy lands the Church had occupied.

Interesting how that worked. Templars invaded and pillaged in the name of God. Paladins occupied the lands ruined by the Templars. Exorcists removed anyone who might be considered pagan or tainted with the ways of the dark. And the Inquisition made sure _everyone_ was a believer of the Lord.

It was a neat little system. And it worked, that was the major factor in all of this. It _worked._ It had worked for some seven hundred years. Sure, many complained, and who wouldn't? But the ruthlessness of the Church was a necessary evil that maintained peace and order for generations.

It wasn't like Rolan gave a single fuck about peace, order, and _especially_ the politically correct analogy to the concept of 'good'.

For all the good that they did, and there was a lot despite the propaganda, the corruption over the years, and the countless number of lives they tarnished, Rolan couldn't like the Church. He respected them, immensely. And he understood them.

But all he saw was a big bully. And as one who was picked on as a child, he _hated_ bullies.

"Don't advance," he commanded from a comfortably lavish throne chair. A simple wooden chair would have done. And he'd have liked to have been in his pajamas so early in the damn morning. But protocol and all that. They made him wear the regalia of his office as King Oberon. "Hold the line and wait for the snipers to get into position. Distract them with suppressive fire."

He'd have also liked to be on those front lines killing them with his bare hands. He wanted to rip their hearts out and soak his skin with their blood. He wanted to watch the life fade from their eyes. Most of all, he wanted to watch them pathetically try to stop him.

The old him from the war would have gone out there. No, he corrected. The old him wouldn't have been in any confrontation unless he absolutely needed to. Fighting was always a last resort when your enemy was your apex predator in those days. But, to the point, if the old him would have had to go out there he would have decimated the area and killed everyone he saw. The old him had no strategy other than how to survive the next day.

Rolan was here giving orders because Heaven had released him of his contract. Technically speaking, he did nothing against the terms. It was a legally binding contract. Sure, he could have gone against it anyways but the fine from the deal-breaking wasn't what stopped him. It would be the price should he have lied to Michael about it.

It had been almost hilarious seeing his lawyers deal with some of the Archangels. He almost smiled when they had to buy the contract off of him in order to release him. He was able to gain another copy of their archives. Not that he needed it this time but it was still useful to have for future experiments.

They had been too trusting with him. The contract stated he would never do anything to directly harm Heaven _as King Oberon._ The wording was a lot more complicated than that— and it had to be in order to mislead some of the oldest creatures in this world's history— but that was the gist of it. He had been attacking the Church as Chase Lance Rolan. All he had to do was take off his crown, lay it neat on its velvet pillow, and go to town.

Honestly? He didn't think it had worked. There was a backup plan just in case, however.

Now that he wasn't bound to Heaven, he was free to send waves of the Fae at the Church. By no means were the Fair Folk a warrior breed (they had been sacked by the Third Oberon with a party of ten who wielded iron swords). But against a pack of cornered rats?

His eyes flicked towards the projections.

Bullets bounced off heavily enforced magical shields. Holy blades turned to ash. Prayers were muted. Invocations of Miracles were countered with equally potent weapons of Phenomena.

Flesh tore apart like wet tissue.

…Overpowered was a word tossed around a lot these days, he noticed.

Rolan remembered when he was four… or was it five? He was very small, let's say. He remembered running away from home because his parents had gotten in another argument with each other and he couldn't take it. They were too heated against each other to notice he had slipped away. He remembered the breathtaking aroma of freedom that washed over him.

…Until he ran into a stray dog that barked at him. That was all he needed to come crying home.

He remembered those feelings well. So too did the remaining stragglers of the Church, it seemed. They thought they would be safe if they returned home. Home to them was the heart of the Church itself, the Vatican City. They were frightened and wanted their parents to comfort them and tell them everything was okay. To tell them about the mean dog down the street.

"That building," his eyes looked at one particular store where a group of Paladins were having a last stand. He could have left it be. The squad present would be more than enough to clean it out. But… "Burn it down. I want to hear them scream."

The Fae were always literal and took everything literal. During the Rating Game against the Gremory and Phenex peerages, he instructed his crew he wanted the viewing room so damn clean he could see his reflection on the carpet… and they did it. Fucking fairies…

So, all audio was adjusted so that Rolan could, indeed, hear the screams of the Paladins as their divine protections did nothing against a flaming missile powered by an Afrit Sultan.

Mommy and Daddy weren't going to do anything about the dog down the street.

Rolan favored commanding people. They were always fickle with their personalities and they only ever did anything if it was in their interest. But he knew how they worked and knew how to manage them. A squad of mercenaries of his personal choice could have cleared out the city after a few hours. There would have been some casualties, but the job would have gotten done.

He didn't bring people for the same reason why he hadn't stepped up to the plate and tie the game with a homerun. There was a strategy in play here. He needed to get his batters into position so when he _did_ step up he would win the game and make the enemy eat shit after scoring the grand slam.

There was something dreadfully intimidating about the Fae. Probably because they were a force of nature humanity had failed to comprehend. Their presence was something deeper than simple elementals who wove magic and performed the feats of fairytale logic.

The Fair Folk weren't just a class of perfectly beautiful, pale-skinned humanoid creatures. They weren't even that. The _Fair_ Folk were those who understood the Laws deeper than even the Lawmakers themselves, who have managed to survive After the End by creating the mystic lands called the Furthest Future. They were called _fair_ because they were completely unbiased in their decisions. They were just too damn perfect at their final evolution that broke perfection itself but couldn't be considered flawed at the same time.

It was why they made the Oberon system. Only a human— who in their eyes was the most flawed existence in _all_ existence (and they weren't wrong)— to rule over them, to tell them what to do, and to smack some sense into them. Really, Rolan thought they were just bored. He purposely dropped salt just to watch them pick up each individual grain with such focus it was like their version of fucking.

The Fae came in various sizes and shapes. There were the classic storybook fairies who came between the sizes of one's thumb to human-sized, and all bearing insectoid wings. Those wings could have been organic while some had wings fastened out of magic not unlike the Dra'cueri Gifts. There were even elves, imagine that. Genuine elves who were tall, slender, spoke the Tolkien Middle-Earth dialect, and masters of magic, the hunt, and craftsmanship.

And then there were the others. The ones Rolan never thought could be Faeries. Such as the Afrit who charbroiled the Paladins well-done.

Almost every pagan creature was a Fae… or a descendant of them at least. In this massacre his armed forces comprised of a small fraction of the diversity. He did, however, pick the most terrifying of them based on their appearances as well as their destructive prowess.

Scorpion men charged down the streets along with their centaur cousins. Bull-headed brutes (not minotaurs— they took offense when they were confused as such) broke through stone and plaster to breach buildings. Hounds with human heads sniffed around alleyways and howled when catching the scent of those who tried to hide. An army of spiders with human heads devoured the corpses of the fallen in front of the Church brigands, being led by their mother who was a massive spider the size of a small farmhouse with a proportionate woman's head.

And then there were the giants. No, not ridiculously tall humans. Giants like the beast Jack had to climb the beanstalk to meet. Five to seven stories tall and magically augmented to withstand the weight of their own bodies and decked out in magical armor and bearing just as impossibly large clubs, maces, and axes.

Oh. And they weren't slow and stupid like the stories say. Rolan could have an intellectual conversation with any of them over matters of philosophy, government, economics, etc. King Vyrn of Ilyvander was even among the giant-folk, who, by the way, made the most divine of pastries.

Let him repeat it again. They were _not_ slow. Why, they moved as swiftly as a human would proportionately.

Rolan brought five of them into the city. They were having a field day being unstoppable monsters. Miracles bounced off of their densely woven magic armor. A single swing of their weapon could wipe out the entire corner of a boulevard.

Normal humans didn't have a way of fighting them. Hell, even those damn Heroes with their legendary weapons and bullshit blessings wouldn't be much of a challenge. Rolan came prepared to play ball and by God (pun intended) he was going to mercy-rule the other team.

For the record, there was no such thing as a mercy rule in baseball. Which was the point. There was no mercy he was going to give.

"Sir!" a leprechaun swiveled around on her chair to alert him about something he already knew. "Third division is down! Enemy reinforcements have arrived!"

"Enemy reinforcements are hacking into the Spectral Barrier," some humanoid octopus told him. Rolan kept this one around because he had multiple arms and was the avatar of multitasking. "We've detected the signatures of three hundred Level-3 sources just outside the battlefield. They are of a higher frequency than the humans."

It was an Acolyte thing to hold the number five as sacred. They (mainly the Observers) used it in their government. Five branches, five ranks in each order, five teams to every territory, five holidays on their calendar, and five commands left by their god. And if you look at it at a distance, you'll notice the things he just listed off were _five_ things.

Rolan respected the number five because there was some truth in there. Hadn't he Betrayed and chosen the Abyss he would have become Star's Valkyrie. Star was always depicted as a five-pointed symbol for each characteristic the Original had… whichever they were. He was either dead or missing, and any other Original Rolan ran into knew nothing about him as well.

Anyway, he placed everyone at a value up to five. One being absolutely harmless and five being his equal.

Truth be told, whenever someone told him they were a Level-3, he dropped the value by one rank. He considered himself to be on Level-4. Because, really, he's met a Level-5 and those fucks are the real monsters.

"It's an Archangel," the intern sylph said bluntly. Her smile was the smallest out of anyone— the closest thing to a frown of boredom in human standards. He kept her around because she was the only one who didn't take her job seriously. Everyone here took their job too seriously. Like, holy fuck calm the fuck down you can't kill yourself because you forgot to dot your I's and cross your T's (literally sometimes), seriously.

And he thought John had OCD…

"Let them through," he commanded. "Try to put up some resistance. Don't let them believe this is too easy. Throw some troops their way but make it look like they're surprised. Divisions five, nine, and twelve are to be in a panic."

His word was law to these people. He actually didn't need a command room like this. He could have spoken to empty air and his troops would have obeyed his command even when they weren't within earshot distance. He pretended like he needed it. And the Fae in the room with him went along his wishes and relayed his orders to the soldiers on the other side.

They could speak into their mics all they wanted and punch codes through their keyboards all they wanted. The Fae on the field were already acting before he could finish his words. But they took their job seriously.

See, there was a more psychological reason why he kept the sylph around. She wasn't pretending to do anything. She was openly playing solitaire on her computer and didn't care if he saw her. He needed her. She was the closest thing to normality a Faerie could present.

That's right, he was paying this one to _not_ do her job.

Normality to a Fae was to be perfect. They didn't know how to be flawed and chose instead to emulate it by following the orders of a human. Case and point, he watched as troops began to run around in circles in astonishingly convincing panic. They acted like how a human would when taken by surprise.

Angels entered the field, breaking through the metaphysical barrier that separated the real world from this artificial one. It's not like he could have paraded his legion of monsters through the _actual_ Vatican City with all those mundane tourists prowling about. Give him some credit.

Dressed in white robes, donned in armor of gold and silver, hurling swords and spears of divine light, the Angels took advantage of their surprise appearance. They swept through the divisions Rolan had sacrificed with a fair amount of resistance. Some Angels fell, of course, but more of his Fae perished instead.

He took a sip of his morning coffee— evening really if you wanted to be technical and follow the Italian time zone— while he watched the onslaught.

He scowled. More than he usually did anyways.

It wasn't Michael who had come to save the largest gathering of war refugees. It would have been too easy for Rolan. No, instead Michael had sent his brother.

…Raphael.

"Uggggghhhhhh," he let out a rather childish groan. "No, of course not. Michael's not going to take the bait. He's going to test the waters first to see how I'm going to react. Goddamn that little shit. Fine. Whatever. Give it five more minutes and then send in the shock troops."

He leaned back into his chair with his chin resting against his knuckles and the other taking occasional sips of his mug. He watched as the legion of Angels went to town against his Fae legionaries. They put up a good fight as they quickly regained formation and held a solid defense. The Angels were convinced they took the Fae by surprise and continued their bombardment. They broke off into other squads to flank them in a tactical arrangement. They held the advantage of aerial support.

One blast from Raphael decimated a third of his troops. Such was the power of an Archangel.

"Order the retreat," Rolan commanded. "Tell all troops within the city to regroup and move to the extraction zone. Everyone in the first wave is to abort mission. But keep fire on the Angels. Provoke them to pursue."

He didn't need to be specific at all. He didn't need to tell which groups were to run and which ones were to remain fighting. They all knew their orders beforehand. He had expected the Angels to show up and had hoped it would have been Michael's party. But Raphael was a good second. The plan could still work.

It was the giants who went on the offensive while their comrades below their feet fled. In three great leaps the party of five crossed over the entire city to reach the battlefield. Two of them let loose a great roar from their magical vocal cords to send shockwaves throughout the air. The lesser Angels of wings two and four were blown away. Those with six wings were buffed around and stunned. But anything higher didn't feel a thing.

One giant with a shield led the advance, taking the blunt of their divine missiles while his brothers followed closely behind. He crashed through the first wave of Angels like a truck going through a swarm of gnats on the highway. Angels became mush against his shield and scattered as soon as he began flailing it around like a madman.

Raphael gave orders. Every division he brought with him scattered, leaving him alone with his select troops to deal with the giants. Including him, there were five Angels. The four retainers each had ten wings.

The remainder of his army pursued the fleeing Fae, fully intent to lay down divine judgment for assaulting the Vatican City.

"Wait for it…" Rolan held up his hand even as the Angels caught up with his soldiers and began cutting them down. He watched for a few seconds as the Angels engaged in combat with chaos breaking out. They were distracted with their focus on slaying the Fae and weren't paying attention to their surroundings. With the belief the giants were being dealt with by their leader, they were free to fulfill their duty without interference.

"Now," he waved his hand.

There was no flashy light show or trumpets like how the Angels appeared to save their mortal servants. This wasn't some child's hero show. This was war. It was messy, and bloody, and disgusting.

The main army appeared almost out of nowhere, having been hidden the entire time in subspace. They waited dutifully for their time to come. That time was now and they charged out of thin air with their gleaming armor and legendary weaponry.

Rolan had cleared out the entirety of the armory and the treasure trove. Every Fae weapon recorded in human history and those they kept to themselves had been pulled off of their shelves, cleaned of dust, and handed to the best of his citizens. Some were even able to be copied or improved after centuries of neglect.

His elite soldiers did not consist of any diverse breed of the Fair Folk. They were not elves or dwarves, not elementals or sprites, not animalists or insectoids. They were the pure Fae, the original Fae who had reached the pinnacle of evolution. They were the progenitors of their kind.

Three hundred of these pureblood Fae took to the field to counter against the army of a thousand Angels. Men, women, and children (though all timeless in age) wove devastating mysteries and swung world-shattering weapons.

There was no contest. It wasn't so much as a counter-attack as it was stepping on a minefield.

Three of his giants had fallen by Raphael and his soldiers by the time the blueblood Fae had dealt with his army. Their immaculate armor continued to shine like individual suns despite the blood coating them. They reformed flanks and went on to continue with their orders. The battle wasn't over just yet. There were still humans alive in the city and one of Heaven's leaders had shown up. Their orders were to take their heads.

The World told Rolan something. His instincts were quivering with the anticipation of something going to happen beyond his calculations. Lately, he hadn't been able to trust the World, but that was all due to the Chaos Brigade. The World was telling him something was happening on Heaven's end. Which meant…

"I'm going out there," he said while standing from his throne.

Retainers came to his side immediately, never questioning his actions and only supporting him. He almost groaned when they donned him with a battle cape and handed him his crowned helm. Personally, he'd have preferred his Researcher's coat— it might have been heavier than the weightless Fae armor but it was a second skin to him. He felt naked inside this flashy, extravagant, way too bedazzled chunk of metal.

But… there was a point to all this extravagance. There was a reason why he had used the Fae instead of wiping the city out in a single nuclear strike.

The Slyph (who was now chewing gum and blowing bubbles) didn't move up from her seat. He gave her the job to be the one to hand him his weapon for the fight. It was an extreme honor to these people… these people of fanatics. He chose her because she was mentally ill (to them) and didn't care as much as the rest should.

The crimson and gold sword was on the floor at her feet. She picked it up by the handle, swiveled her chair around (while scraping the sword along the ground), and extended it towards him. He'd have to walk towards her to retrieve it.

God he loved this girl. She was the closest thing to normality among these damn Fae.

He was the one honored by her when he took the extra steps to reclaim his weapon. It was the weapon forged by Mystic King Vyrn and the Guardian Zerrogjochvonik for Rolan specifically. He used it once long ago to defeat Artorius and her instrument of the Original Mars, Jus Gladii.

Its name was Gohmibeir.

…Pronounced exactly like _gummy bear._

The only thing his office couldn't do was change the name of these weapons. They were set in stone and no force in the omniverse or beyond could change them. There was deeper magic in the name itself than the intricacies of the weaponry.

"Luscious," he commanded his Elemental Effigy.

A portal was opened and he stepped through.

*Scene*

It was something he expected Peter to pull off, or Storm King P'Zylor as he liked to be called these days. The guy was such a ham for the theatrics it was a wonder of all existence how the man-made-god didn't die from his head expanding too large.

It wasn't just Raphael who showed up to the party. He was only the first wave to clear out the mooks and bring out the real heavy hitters. Most of his army had been wiped out by Rolan's finest Fae and even Raphael had been taken by surprise by the retaliation. But he served his purpose. Someone had to tank their way through the barrage of return fire.

After him came the Host Regent of Heaven. The Commander of Legions descended from the cosmic planes in a pillar of light and song. He was donned in his immaculate white robes and golden armor. In his hand was the sword second only to God's and in the other the spear that repelled Helel's rebellion.

Behind him was the greatest of Heaven's forces. There was no Angel with wings less than six.

In his flanks was his sister, Gabriel, and his brother, Ariel. The Archangel of Grace twirled, almost playfully, the sword of promises. And the Archangel of Justice tightened the grip of his sword of retribution.

All in all, Rolan was hardly intimidated. Their divine miasma was potent, especially against his new Devil flesh. But Heaven was far from their prime. The War and the ages had dwindled their numbers to hardly anything.

There couldn't be any more than five thousand of them.

"King Oberon!" Michael announced with a voice that commanded all to be still. The fighting stopped as the Heavenly Host spoke. No more was he the somber wounded soul. He had donned the mantle best befitting since his creation. That of a warrior.

"Fuck off."

But Rolan's voice was louder. He wasn't in the mood to hear some heroic monologue about all that was good and righteous.

And even if Michael didn't hear it, a missile of flames from his hand would have gotten him to shut up.

With that, the battle resumed.

A barrage of magic and light was exchanged from both ends. Spears, arrows, and missiles of both properties were launched in fashion with the purpose to decimate the opposing side. Equally potent shields and defenses were raised in order to counteract the assault. Formations shifted, spreading out and drawing back in a game of chicken. There was a struggle to see who would have the first upper hand in the first collision.

The Angels were the one who won that. For all the resources of the Fae, Michael was the superior tactician. He had been doing this since the dawn of the world's creation.

Plus, the Angels could fly. They had a tremendous advantage.

Utter chaos broke out when Fae and Angel clashed. Cosmic weapons of all sorts sang a chorus of ringing steel.

It felt like he had been hit by a truck without Aura when Michael descended on him. The first strike made his bones rattle despite all the protections he had. This was the strength of the mightiest of Angels refined through eons of warfare. Michael was in his element for this was the purpose of his creation. He was all of God's militia bottled into a vessel.

His eyes were sharpened beyond mortal comparison.

In that one strike, Rolan found himself to be outmatched and outclassed. He was only human with a few buffs. Becoming a Reincarnated Devil was equal to putting on a new shirt… or a second shirt over his Acolyte one. Heavily reinforced and patted with the Oberon armor did little to close the gap between a mere human and an Archangel.

Surrounded by chaos and backed into a corner by a being superior to him in every way…

He couldn't have asked for a bigger advantage.

When Michael came for a follow-up swing to nick Rolan's wrists and have him bleed out, Gohmibeir was there to parry it. It matched Michael's impossible strength and speed. It's movements were as flawless as Michael's ageless technique.

They came at it again, going through a series of swings no mortal could hope to replicate. Such was physically impossible with not just the speed and power behind every blow; it was impossible with the technique those bound to the physical plane would break from. Michael was an Angel— a wad of cosmic and divine energies bundled up with the visage of human form. He was no more than mist that could interfere with the physical realm.

Rolan, however, was very much corporeal. He should not have been able to match blows against someone above and beyond physical limitation. Even the greatest of legendary forces could not think of opposing _gods_ on martial prowess.

It was this ridiculously named blade that did most of the work for him.

Gohmibeir was a unique weapon among all Fae technology. It was purposely designed for someone like Rolan to be able to overcome Artorius' ludicrous Jus Gladii and its instant-death ability. Gohmibeir had an intricate pattern of commands in its core to operate and power based on one's desire to live. The stronger the desire, the better the blade operates.

It was an instrument of Phenomenon— that which directly defies the indirect world. Simple things like _Rules_ or _Laws_ and especially _physical limitations_ didn't matter to it if Rolan's desire to live was strong enough.

In the hands of a Predator, it was constantly in its peak.

The blade almost roared in triumph when it was the first to cut across Michael's face. The Angel's ichor scattered across the cobbled road. Even the Archangel had been taken by surprise.

Did he honestly think this would be an easy fight? The gap between a Predator and a Candidate was hardly visible— if anything, Michael held all the attributes over Rolan. With or without the support of the World, Michael should still be the victor after meeting in close combat.

Rolan knew this. But never once was he a fair fighter.

Honor would only get him killed.

"Burst!" he roared and channeled his Aura. Behind his visor, both his eyes glowed red.

A thunderous concussion erupted on Michael's chest, propelling him back a few steps. It did little to dent his armor but even miniscule damage such as that was more than enough. His armor was just as ethereal as he was. To be inflicted by something as mundane as mortal flames…

Rolan came at him this time, launching forward with a burst of his Aura below his feet. The action was slow to the likes of an Angel but that wasn't the point. Michael did not move from his spot. He held his ground and raised his sword for another match.

Rolan's eyes glowed as he channeled his Aura through them. A sequence of commands flowed through his mind with different signatures intermixing. His psyche began to invade Michael when their eyes met. Memories were forced to the surface of his mind— anything that would distract the Angel to lose his form. Rolan dug deeper as they crossed blades. He searched through the moments his closest brothers Fell, how he was forced to fight against Helel and Azazel, how he was forced to flood the earth with Azrael to slay the Nephilim…

And then, there was God's death. Michael blamed himself.

Rolan pried these thoughts and feelings out of the Archangel's heart and pinned them to the surface of his mind.

It still wasn't enough. Even without all the focus, Michael was battle incarnate. In his sleep he could probably match blows with Rolan.

Rolan fought dirty.

"Freeze!" he commanded next with his eyes turning blue this time.

The world around them became a world of ice and snow. It was indiscriminate in its rapture as both Fae and Angel were swept away in this tundra. The ice at their feet reflected a twisted light not from the sun but from the life force it drank from all of those within. Wherever it touched, energy was being drained and transferred to its origins.

Rolan was drinking in the essence of all on the battlefield. Their energies were too much for his vessel and were leaking. A thick layer of prismatic colors coated his body.

Every strike afterwards was faster and stronger than what Michael could deliver. His arms were a blur. His voice echoed in a maddening roar of rage. Every time their blades met was a secondary blade of wind cutting apart their surroundings and a shockwave erupting the territory.

And it still wasn't enough. Michael continued to stand despite the psychic interference, despite his divine radiance being stolen, and despite the bombardment of physical strain.

"Just die already, Michael!" Rolan sneered. Their blades crossed but did not disengage. Rolan pressed himself close to speak to the Archangel over the orchestra of war. "It's over! Your God is dead and your system if failing! This is the Age of Humanity now! If you cannot adapt then you should just die!"

"You would bring down your own for your grudge?" Michael's eyes narrowed. He spoke softly despite everything. Almost like a friend trying to convince another. "These are the ones who swore to serve you and you lead them to their deaths over something so petty. Nor will I turn away from those in my need. So long as one prays for salvation, we will all be there."

"Does it look like I give a fuck?!" Rolan disengaged and stood tall. He lowered his weapon but did not lower his guard. In respect, and some curiosity, Michael had followed the protocol for honor and respect and did much the same.

"You! Afrit!" Rolan turned and pointed throughout the masses towards the giant red brute that incinerated a group of Paladins earlier.

The Afrit Sultan immediately knew he was the one being addressed and stopped rampaging. He stood tall, nearly ten feet tall, with charcoal and sand skin. It saluted, bashing its fist against the silica glass armor marking his station of office.

"State your name!"

"Byru'gjuagh Trjyu Vnmdrmmi!"

…Fucking fairies.

"Kill yourself."

There was no hesitation. The Afrit Sultan dug its claws into its chest, tearing through the mystic armor, and pried out its own heart. It left out one last roar, the proudest roar to date as it was by the will of Oberon his life was sacrificed, before dispersing into a spray of flames and ash.

The Afrit stationed below him all let loose a matching roar as their king was returned to the Furthest Future. They became frenzied, drunk in glory at being the servants to one blessed by King Oberon himself. They raised their weapons and sang promises to take the most amount of Angel wings.

Michael was left speechless.

"I am willing to sacrifice a lot of things for this, Michael," Rolan spat. "Do you know the meaning of that word? Sacrifice. Have you ever had to sacrifice anything? Have you ever had to stand up against a force mightier than you, knowing you will die? Have you ever had the burden of leaving another behind knowing you will live and they will die? You know war, Michael. But do you know _struggle_?"

Michael could only look at him with the eyes of pity. It was true, he didn't understand what it meant to crawl through blood, feces, and other unmentionables. He never had to. And it was why he could only look down at Rolan and feel pity.

Rolan could see it in his eyes. Michael wished to have been able to save Rolan from a twisted world. It was why he claimed the Throne of Heaven and did all he could to sustain God's system. He truly believed he could find a way to save all of humanity.

It was a noble thought. But the execution was anything but.

"The world _is_ a better place without you Angels," Rolan readjusted his grip on Gohmibeir.

 _"Well spoken, King Oberon!"_

A woman appeared at his flank by means of a magic circle. A Devil, he corrected. She was as tall as Michael with a slender body, leather and silk robes befitting of a sorceress, and (why the _fuck_ do Devils do this?!) a pair of thin-frame glasses across her eyes.

"You are…" Michael spoke slowly.

The woman smirked, "Katarea Leviathan, the heiress of the _true_ Leviathan."

Rolan needed to take a moment to think for a moment. Was this seriously happening? Was there a camera hidden with some prankster about to pull something on him? This was a joke, right? _Nothing_ ever goes as smoothly as this. One of the leaders of the Old Satan Faction of the Chaos Brigade had shown up _in person_?!

He was prepared to meet them five steps away from now— ten in actuality since nothing ever goes according to plan. But… holy fuck, all of his planning was thrown out the window as reality activated its hyperdrive and accessed warpspeed.

He was calling bullshit. This wasn't a miracle. This had to be a curse. Since when was reality ever that kind to him?

"I hope you don't mind my intrusion," the Devil continued with a victorious grin. "I heard about this skirmish and soon about the raid from Heaven. I couldn't just stand back and watch as the enemy of my enemy takes what rightfully belongs to us."

Magic circles littered the field as platoons of Devils in obsidian armor slipped out of the Underworld and into the Vatican City. There was a chorus of howls at being able to step foot in the holiest of lands that had barred them for centuries. It was only due to the recent decline of God's influence and Rolan's Spectral Barrier that permitted them access.

They went to work immediately supporting the Fae in fighting the Angels and hunting the rest of the Church mooks. While hardly any of them were above four wings, they outnumbered the Angels by leagues. It was like watching a sea of black stamp out a few stars.

But they were nowhere near capable of suppressing the forces that were Gabriel, Ariel, and Raphael. The Archangels fought back zealously and commanded order among their ranks.

If Rolan still had the coffee mug he'd be taking a sip while watching the madness unfold. Devils and Fae fighting against Angels. He could have sworn he'd seen a movie like this before…

"How did you know?" questioned Michael.

Katerea's smirk grew, "Why Michael, don't you know? You shouldn't underestimate the charm of a real Devil. Some of your Angels have been very naughty."

…Great. There were Angels in the Brigade as well. That complicated things to a new level.

Michael wasn't taking this so well. He looked conflicted. He wanted to leap at her in battle, he wanted to question her further, and he wanted to support his troops.

The battle was lost. All there was left to do was to push a little more and—

Something crashed through the remains of his barrier and smashed dead center between the three of them. A crimson streak.

Fucking seriously?! Now?! He chooses _now_ to play hero?!

With the spread of his crimson wings, the dust dispersed. He stood tall in crimson armor dotted with emerald jewels and gold plating. Power oozed out of his being like a grand inferno. It dwarfed Rolan's Aura, Katerea's demonic miasma, and Michael's divine essence _combined._

The Red Blur had shown up to fuck shit all over and ruin everything he worked hard to achieve.

Of course he would! Now, this meant two things. First, Katerea being here wasn't some trap or a shot in the foot. This was a true blessing. The second only supported the first reason. It was the World telling him, 'Chase, you're my bitch and let me remind you why I don't let you have nice things'.

But as Rolan thought of this, his instincts as a Predator were telling him something else.

Hyoudou was still in the Underworld. So the one in front of them was a fake.

But this level of power was very much real. Even the greatest of illusionists could not replicate absolute dread and destruction belonging to the Welsh Dragon.

His mind focused, determined to scry the identity of this imposter.

The World was kind enough to fill him in.

"Nope!" he backpedaled while grabbing Katarea's arm. "Not dealing with this!"

What he found was someone far worse than Hyoudou. It was someone even on his best day Rolan could never hope to match on her worst.

"What do you think you're doing?!" the Devil shrieked, more insulted to be touched by him than to understand when everything was about to reach Armageddon. "Unhand me!"

"You'll thank me for this," he grumbled and kicked, literally _kicked,_ her into a portal created by his familiar. Without another glance to Michael, Rolan jumped in.

The Fae took immediate action in following their king. In the next instant every single one of them ejected out of the field and back into subspace.

…Leaving the Angels and Devils confused.

And the one pretending to be the Red Blur.

All it saw was two factions who refused to disperse in conflict. While the leader of the Devils may have vanished, they continued to fight against their Angels. And despite Michael's commands to still, they were forced to defend their selves.

"Mars!" the girl behind the crimson armor ordered, "activate Crimson Cardinal Peacekeeper Mode!"

[…Yes, Mistress,] sighed the Original who took the form of the draconian armor.

And the world was bathed in red.

*Scene*

"Bwah!" Xi'Lon Li Qin removed the suffocating helmet and let her hair fall down. A cheeky grin pursed her lips as she took sight of her latest venture. "That was a lot of fun! No wonder Puppy's been doing this for years."

In the far background that once was the Vatican City, crimson flames still burned brightly and could be seen for miles. There was no smoke. This was the flames produced by false draconian essence fueled by the Original Mars. The wallowing screams of those who didn't like to play nice with others could still be heard. It wasn't in the Red Blur's policy to kill unless absolutely necessary.

So Li Qin lit them on fire. Permanently. They would burn forever without their bodies deteriorating. Nor would the sensation die down. There was no hope of ever getting used to it. She wanted something like the fires of Hell to punish them for their misconduct and Mars complied.

It was better than killing them, right? A hero doesn't kill.

"Neh, Kayla, is this what it's like to have a boner?" she asked one of the Knights who had (against her will) accompanied the Sixth Predator.

"You remind me why I regret saying that in your presence," Sir Kayla was beyond aggrieved at this point over her slip of vulgarity. "I also worry if this is a turn-on for you, Lady Xi'Lon."

Trist smacked her companion in the back of the head for another slip up.

"Neh, neh," Li Qin waved her hand off with an almost bored expression. "I don't get the tingles from doing this. Mars says it's a turn-off for my hubby to enjoy violence, and a good wife must always find ways to appeal to her husband. But this does make me all warm and gooey inside. I wanna find Puppy, bend him over a table, and have my way with him. That's what it means to have a boner, neh?"

Kayla accepted Trist's glare. She also had her face in her hands in regret. "Lady Xi'Lon, a woman cannot have a hard-on."

"Why not?" Li Qin crossed her arms and pouted. "When that Michael guy showed up, you said you had a serious boner for him. You're as much of a woman as I am."

[Mistress,] the helmet tossed sideways on the floor spoke up, [it is physiologically impossible for a female to have an erection of which Sir Kayla speaks. It is something only the likes of a male to perform.]

Both Knights of the Round gave relieved sighs as the almighty being beyond their feeble comprehension eased the waters.

"I want one!" Li Qin declared. "That's not fair! Why does Kayla get one while I don't! I want a boner!"

"It doesn't work that way!" Kayla did her best to clean up her mess… without getting the butt of Trist's rifle to the back of her skull. "It's just a saying, Lady Xi'Lon. It means I was attracted to that Angel. That's all!"

"I still want one!" the Valkyrie Predator protested. "Mars! Let me have a boner!"

"You created a monster," Trist's glare could melt through steel. "Fix this. Now. Before something happens that can't be corrected. Lord von Siegfried will have our heads should anything happen to Lady Xi'Lon."

"It's _her_ that's doing it to herself!" Kayla argued. "How am I supposed to stop a girl equal to Lulu?!"

"Lord von Siegfried," Trist corrected. "How many times must I tell you, Sir Kayla? Address your superior officer appropriately even if he is not present. Show your respect."

"Bugger off," Kayla snapped.

[It's done,] everyone in the vicinity could hear the amount of stress in Mar's words. They could have even sworn he sighed distraughtly. [Mistress I pray you won't regret this.]

Kayla and Trist snapped at attention at the Original's words. While they had been arguing over something so miniscule compared to their prior engagement, Li Qin's wish had come true. Dread filled them. But as they looked, there was no visible change in the Valkyrie Predator.

Li Qin's lips puckered as her thighs began to rub against another. Her hands went straight for her crotch region. "Neh… This is weird. I like it but… it feels like the tingles. Neh, Trist, can I hug you? I feel like I really want to…"

The auburn Knight immediately grabbed the chestnut's collar and shook vigorously, "Fix this! My chastity is on the line! I'll not give it to a woman! Can you imagine if I bear the child of the Valkyrie?!"

"I don't know," Kayla averted her gaze with a tint of red in her cheeks. "I kinda want to see what happens. Strapping on is one thing… but to see the real deal of a transgender is something different. Heck, I kinda wanna join just to see how it compares."

"Neeeeeeeeh?!" shrieked Li Qin. As though it were a pair of spandex, she had put her fingers through the lining of the armor running below her waist and stretched them open to peek inside. What she saw made her face turn as scarlet as the draconian mail. "What is this?! Mars, what in all that is neh did you do to me?!"

[You should have heeded the warnings of— GWAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa…]

He had tried to scold her. It didn't work out. The helmet that hosted his insight was kicked and sent tumbling towards the pillars of fire.

Kayla stepped forward and pulled on the armor to see what lay hidden underneath. Her eyes widened by what she saw. "John and Jamison, Trist, hurry up and give the lass a hug. I seriously want to try this out already. Mars, I take back half the rubbish I said behind your back."

"I'll do no such thing!" Trist slapped Kayla's hands to let go of the girl who grew… _that._ "Take responsibility over your mistakes and bring this girl back to the natural order!"

Kayla was ready to cry, "But it's been so long since I've had something as meaty as that. Come on. Can't I at least try? Transgenders are a part of the natural order these days, anyhow. Have you been reading the print lately, Trist?"

"What are you talking about?" Li Qin asked, unperturbed by them studying the mushroom growing between her legs. "It sounds like wanting to do the nasty I'm supposed to only do with my hubby."

"Aww… it shrank," Kayla sobbed and released the waistline of the armor. It snapped tight, making Li Qin squeal in a high note. "Darnit, Trist. Why don't you lemme have any fun?"

"Is this appropriate, Lady Xi'Lon?" Trist ignored the wining of her counterpart to ask the Predator they were tasked as their chaperone. Despite the difference in maturity, their original orders still remained true. Li Qin was still their supervisor. "Having something like that? I can't speak from personal experience. But, surely, the Dragoon will not take too lightly with having something so… masculine. Lord von Siegfried reports he favors femininity over all."

"Don't worry, neh," Li Qin waved her hand once more. "I only wanted to see what a boner was like. I knew only boys get them. Hmm… If Puppy deals with something like this all the time then I understand why he loves breasts so much. Mars! I want my breasts to be the greatest!"

She held her pose for some time. Hands on her hips, her head raised, and a broad grin stretching her face. But as time passed on (and the Knights awkwardly changing their footing) she realized nothing had changed. Li Qin opened her eyes and realized the one capable of making her wishes come true was left at the bottom of the trench.

"Neh!" she (in her own way) cursed and leapt down into the pits of hell to retrieve the helmet she had kicked. It only took a few minutes of wandering through the sea of flames and piles of burning criminals. Some had grabbed her and begged for forgiveness, only for her to push them aside in search for the launched Original.

She found the replicated helmet of the Red Blur, picked him up, dusted off a few layers of ash and dirt, and leapt back to the spot the Knights of the Round had kept for her.

"Not to question your logic and all…" Kayla started slowly once Li Qin returned. "But is this right? You think the Red Blur would do something as extreme as this?"

She gestured to the endless fire in the background.

Li Qin could only shrug. She was just as clueless as Kayla. "Dunno. Puppy usually beasts others with his fists. Mars showed me footage of whenever he stops wars by doing just that and breaking apart their weapons and tanks. Wars have been stopped just by him appearing. But those were all mortal wars. I dunno what to do about Angels and Devils. But Sunshine managed to understand I was mad and leave."

She referred Sir Rolan as Sunshine. Sometimes as Sunny. It depended on her mood.

"Lady Xi'Lon," Trist tried her hardest to resist rubbing her brow. Her fingers twitched, wanting to satisfy her. "We have agreed to follow you through your travels— and their deviations, I might say. I only ask for the purpose. Donning the mantle of the Red Blur is a grand deal. And I do not question your worthiness. But… do you think it best for you to proceed and not the original?"

She tried her best to be as polite about it as possible. She really wanted to get Li Qin to stop. Nothing but carnage had followed since the Valkyrie Predator had suddenly decided to impersonate as the Red Blur and partake in vigilante justice. Case and point, both Devils and Angels were forever doomed to feel the flames of punishment for the remainder of existence. Nor had she tried to hide them from the unsuspecting populace.

The regular humans who had been ignorant of the supernatural were now bearing witness to the screaming agony of their greatest and worst deities.

"It's because I want to be a good wife," Li Qin answered sincerely. "I have to uphold the name of my husband. No one likes him right now after he defeated the Vampire. It's not his fault. I have to show he is a protector of the innocent and a hero of justice. That's what the Red Blur always was, wasn't he?"

Kayla and Trist could only look at another. There was some conflict in their emotions. It followed the childish innocence they had lost after becoming a Knight of the Round. Li Qin held that innocence deep in her heart and it was that quality that made her as a Predator. They were reminded of this wonder and how sacred it once was. They couldn't argue with her words.

The other half, however, was guilt based on their experience as a Knight of the Round. All of the childish wonder they once held before recruitment had been scrubbed out of them. The hope and wishes they once held for the greater good didn't exist any more than Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny. The world wasn't as forgiving of a place.

The Red Blur, for whatever reason behind it, was still responsible for the death of several. Yes, the Vampire had been an impressive enemy to the Dragoon. That sentiment could be sympathized with countless others. There was no blame for his rashness in slaying such an enemy. Yet, how many people were killed in the crossfire of such an engagement?

How many people lost their homes? Their loved ones? Their own lives?

"Why not take this up with him, personally?" Trist asked next. "You are taking his name and his creed, Lady Xi'Lon. The Dragoon should know about this."

[The fault lies with me,] said Mars under the arms of his master. [I told my mistress the mental state of her beloved.]

"Yup!" Li Qin raised her head proudly. "Until Puppy feels better, it's this one's duty to bring home the bacon."

"You don't even know what that saying means," grumbled Kayla.

"Neh!" Li Qin's eyes narrowed. "Doesn't matter. I'm going to clear his name. By the time I'm done, everyone will be praising the Red Blur like they should. And Puppy will love me for what I've done!"

She began to wiggle around where she stood with daydreams flooding her mind.

"Did you really have to drag us along?" Kayla exasperated. "No one believes Lulu—"

"Lord von Siegfried."

"—is in China at this point. We could have returned back to Briton. You didn't need to keep us around, Lady Xi'Lon."

Li Qin puckered her lips as she kicked around a pebble. "Neh, I didn't want Lulu to get mad at me. His lectures are long and mean. He makes me sit still until I tell him where I went wrong and how I'm going to fix it. He told me to watch over you and that's what I'm going to do! I'm not doing anything wrong if I'm doing this, neh?"

There were so many thing wrong with her way of thinking. But they wouldn't dare to try to correct her. At least, not without the Dragon Slayer Predator.

Li Qin could punt them into the sea of flames just as easily as she had done to Mars.

The Valkyrie Predator's brows lifted as her head turned due east.

Both Knights of the Round flinched. They had gone on enough misadventures since leaving China to understand the look of dynamic heroism in her eyes.

"There's a kitten trapped in a tree!" she announced while putting the helmet back on. Dragonic wings extended out of her back, ready to pull her into flight.

"Lady Xi'Lon," pleaded Trist. "This time can we _not_ destroy something? At least make sure the poor kitten survives without having to resurrect it… or any people within the vicinity."

"And can we not come with you?" Kayla asked without any expectations. She was only taking a shot in the dark at this point.

"Let us be off!" announced the Sixth Predator. She took both Knights around the waist and carried them up as she gradually began to ascend.

Mars did most of the work. He protected the two squishy girls as Li Qin shot off like a meteor to the clear blue sky. All that was visible was a streak of crimson.

The (fake) Red Blur traversed once again to play the part of a hero.

*Scene*

"We could have finished them!" Katerea said once they were locked away in his office and better settled.

"Yes, we could have," Rolan agreed. "At the cost of our own lives. I value my revenge greatly above a lot of things. But not over the value of myself."

Her fingers adjusted the ridge of her glasses. "Our information had speculated you were his equal, King Oberon. We heard you are challenging the Eighth Predator—"

"Seventh," he corrected. "You and your people have been under that rock too long. I'm surprised you even heard about the Rating Game. The usurper of the Earth Mother was killed by the Dragoon. The Vampire is no more."

She didn't bother to hide her disdain at having been interrupted. "The combined forces of our regimens would have sufficed. The legion of Devils under my command plus the Fair Folk? Not to mention you, Chase Rolan. King Oberon of the Fae, Commander of Legions to the Queen Regent of Vampires, Viceroy of the American Union branch of the Observatory, Second Symphony to the American Union Postal Service mercenaries, Demon Lord to the Devil's territory of America, Knight of Honor to the Crown Princess of the British Isles, Lord Archmage of California— Oh, no thank you."

"I insist," Rolan slid the pack of breath mints across the desk. While she rabbled on about each and every one of this titles and achievements (it didn't sound like she was going to stop anytime soon), he pulled the little pack out of one of his drawers.

"I'm not a fan of some cunt trying to kiss me after sucking my dick."

He gestured towards the breath mints once more while leaning back in his chair. His stare was level and unflinching. He could feel the amount of taint permeating the room as his insult sank in. It was a fowl darkness. While, sure, Serafall Leviathan could be cruel and merciless due to her raw power as a Devil plus all the horrible shit she had to pull due to the civil war, but Katerea was different.

She was a descendent of the original Leviathan. The Leviathan's blood coursed through her veins. It was thick enough to warp the mystical lighting and harden the air. It felt like something had grabbed at his throat and gradually began to tighten.

He didn't react. He didn't try to oppose this oppressive aura. Nor was he intimidated by her. She was a child. Worse, she was an egotistical Devil. The grand difference between her and Serafall was experience. While Katerea had the blueblood pedigree of the Sin of Envy, Serafall's watered down miasma was _still_ thicker than this one's.

He was almost tempted to put the bitch in her place. He wanted to release his Aura to make her suffocate.

"Let's set something straight," he began in the same tone he used since they first met. "I don't like you, Katerea. You don't like me. Let's not hide behind cheap smiles and polished words. Cover it with glitter and sparkles and in the end it's still shit. I'm really not in the mood to be swapping spit with _shit._ "

Katerea's eyes narrowed as her wondrous charm faded away. She dropped the glamor that was her pleasantness but never her elegance. That was a part of her being. "I could not have said anything better myself, King Oberon."

"I know you couldn't have…" he grumbled while tapping a finger against the armrest. "They couldn't have sent someone else? I feel insulted they brought the whore to begin negotiations."

His eyes traced her perfect body. It really was. Such was the form of a Devil given the genes of a creature of sin. Everything about Katerea oozed sexuality and allure from the way she sat, the way she gestured, the way she smiled and even as she sneered now, to the tone of her voice and choice of words. She had also come dressed to impress. Hyoudou would have been drooling and barking like dog with the way her dress was designed to draw attention to every one of her curves.

Katerea Leviathan was a vicious beauty who could, and had, seduce any man.

Just not Rolan. There were too many reasons for him to not fuck her.

It was taking a plenty amount of his willpower to not kill her where she sat.

"Personally arriving to wage against the forces of Heaven…" he spoke up before she could. "I couldn't help but notice you arrived at the climax of the battle as well. Isn't that fucking convenient. Your intervention wasn't needed. I'm grateful, as are the other Faery who will be seeing their families, but still unneeded."

"You are the one who was unneeded," she retorted smoothly. "The right to crush Heaven belongs to the True Satans. You've stepped over a fine line when you openly declared to steal our prey."

"I didn't realize I needed permission," he said dryly, almost bored.

"But of course," she answered with a sharp tone this time. "God and His Angels have always been _our_ enemy. It was always _our_ destiny to slay them. What right did you have to steal something from us?"

"Well…" His brows rose high enough to be hidden under his hair. "Balls, for one. It's not like you people were doing anything since I showed up. There's also the fact Heaven has made a mass amount of enemies over the centuries. _They_ are a lot more intimidating than… you. Let's be honest, Katerea. What are you compared to a god of a pagan pantheon? I'd sooner ask for their permission than yours."

"You think too highly of yourself and underestimate us," she hissed. "Your record on the surface world is remarkable, but that's all it is. You are only _mortal._ You do not know what sort of creatures you are dealing with."

"A man should have come instead of you if all you're going to do is have a _swordfight_ with me," his scowl returned. "I get it. I'm human. You're a big bad Devil. Congratu-fucking-lations! Let me ask you then, _little girl._ Why is it this worthless human was able to launch an attack against Heaven's greatest and drive them back all within the short span of a few weeks? Meanwhile, this cunt who has been sitting on her ass for the past couple centuries walks in, pisses all over the carpet, and says _I'm_ in the wrong?

"No, little girl, I think it's you who should know your place."

His patience had run thin. But he did not release his Aura. Instead, he dug in deeper. He reached into his core and commanded the shadow within his core to awaken.

The Nightmare, the shadow creature that was the enemy to all Acolytes, stirred. Within the confines of his vessel did it start to stretch and uncurl itself. It only opened a miniscule slit of its serpentine eyes.

There was no light in the room as it was sucked in at an instance. All color faded. The world was turned to gray as every bit of life and beauty was devoured.

Katerea's eyes widened by the amount of taint coming from Rolan's body. The shadow hidden in his heart wasn't just familiar to her. It was something that had been branded into the genetic coding that made up her existence.

It was the essence of the original Leviathan.

Rolan shut his eyes and commanded the Shadow of the Ocean back to its slumber. The Leviathan obeyed, folded itself back into his body, and returned to the endless dream.

All life, color, warmth, and beauty returned to the outside world.

He waited patiently for Katerea to get her shit together.

"Fun fact," he said when he believed enough time had passed. He knew she would be able to listen at least. He wasn't patient enough for her to regain access to her tongue. "In regards to the Acolyte factions… The Observatory Faction love to liken themselves as the Angels. They love to watch over humanity and think themselves the protectors of all things good and just.

"They love to call those who turn their back on their god as Accusers. We Accusers are often likened to the Fallen. Strangely, it's the Researcher Faction who fit this notion down to the letter.

"It's universal by all, both Acolytes and Accusers, that the Nightmares are… _comparable_ to you Devils. It's almost like the two share the same… origins."

He let her words soak in. Let her come to her own conclusion. It would have been the wrong one anyways. Rolan knew exactly where the Devils came from and knew where the Nightmares came from. They had two completely different origins. One was created by the Earth Mother. The other was created by the 'Ma'.

The Shadow of the Ocean and the Prince of Envy were two different entities who just so happened to share the same name. Just as how the Acolytes had parallel mythos with Judean faith.

But he wouldn't tell her this. Nor was there any way she could learn of the truth. Not even Ophis knew and it was unlikely the former Dra'cueri Queen would be willing to look into it. Let Katerea believe a _worthless human_ like Rolan was a better Devil than this blueblood wench.

"I know _exactly_ what sort of creatures I am dealing with, little girl," he pressed on. "The thing about humans, we know how to do this little thing called _adapting._ Been doing it for millennia. There's always something bigger out there. We don't live as long as you and we're nowhere near as tough. And it's because we've accepted that weakness do we turn it into our strength. We learn about our enemies and know how to hurt them critically.

"I know all about you _Old_ Satans. You're outdated and spent. You've been kicked aside by a younger and stronger breed of Devils. But what do you do about it? _Nothing!_ All you've been doing these centuries is sulk, looking forward to bringing back the glory days that have been forgotten by your usurpers.

"So when this human comes around and smacks around a few Angels, you suddenly jump aboard and demand I glorify _you_? No, sweetheart, if anything I should kill you for trying. And want to know the funny thing? There would be nothing you can do about it."

He paused, taking a moment to rummage through his desk.

"…You will regret making an enemy of us," Katerea found her voice at last.

"She doesn't listen," Rolan wasn't surprised. He tossed at her what he found in her desk.

She caught it between her fingers in a quick and fluent motion. Her eyes traced the plastic device. It was a flash drive.

A flash drive containing a large portion of the archives Heaven had delivered to him.

"For the blowjob," he answered her unspoken question. "This human takes pity on you. I thought I should at least compensate you for it. Sure, it was unneeded. But it was still nice. Did a real number on my confidence, exactly as a blowjob is supposed to from a pretty lady.

"I don't want to be your enemy, Katerea. Regardless of our positions, you still have a lot of value to me. I'm not going to waste your potential. Think of this as a peace offering. There will be more if you promise to behave and act civil. I'm confident our goals can coincide. Meet me again in three days and we can conduct business on more favorable terms.

"Now, kindly get the fuck out of my territory," he spat in the end.

He could see it in her eyes. While her face was tranquil, he could see the rage burning in her eyes. It was laughable, almost. This cunt continued to think she was better than him because of her species. That's not how the real world works, honey.

"It is a shame," she said, returning to her smooth speech. She stood from her chair and created a magic circle on the floor. "My benefactor spoke highly of you, Sir Rolan. I do not know how you managed to gain the attention of Ophis, but she holds you in much esteem. She had asked to meet with you if we could convince you to work with us."

"…Who?" his brows scrunched further at the name.

A misdirection. He could almost read the thoughts going through her mind. She was thrown for a loop, having believed he knew Ophis one way. She came to her own conclusion and that look of superiority returned. It was the same look she had when she had mentioned his 'mortal' achievements.

Oh, he knew more about Ophis than she could ever hope.

Really. There are somethings about the former Dra'cueri Queen he didn't want to know. Such as her favorite position.

It took _everything_ in him to not shiver from that memory.

"By your leave, King Oberon," Katerea said with a small smile before slipping away into the Underworld.

The first thing he did when she was gone was make the chair she sat on explode.

Perhaps it would have looked like he had done so out of spite. And let them believe that. But, really, the little cunt thought she could leave a surveillance charm on his chair and not have him notice?

Okay. Maybe he did blow it up out of some spite.

"This would have been the perfect chance if you turned Diodara into a Blade. Dawn, Dusk, whichever the fuck you wanted."

"Ophis would have known," newly crowned Fourth Predator Philips looked at the spot Katerea had vanished. All along he had been standing in one corner of the room, listening to their conversation. "Why not kill the Devil now?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Rolan stood from his chair and moved to the center of the office. "You stabbed Gremory to piss me off. A leading member of the Old Satan Faction of the Brigade shows up and you don't move? Wasn't it your policy to kill anything not human?"

"You consider yourself human?" Philips interjected.

Rolan brushed his hand through the air. He wasn't in the mood to get into another one of those one-sided arguments with such a fanatic. Even as he had concrete evidence to prove Acolytes were still a type of human, Philips wouldn't listen. His only sort of human were those who couldn't touch anything in the supernatural community. The mundane, in other words.

"We don't know how they're able to hide from our senses," Rolan went back to the original question. "Right now, can you tell me where Katerea is with a Predator perk? No, nor can I. I need to know how they are able to hide in order to avoid this in the future."

Philips said nothing.

"Why didn't you warn me about Li Qin?" Rolan snapped.

"Why would I?" countered Philips.

"Katerea was right," he snarled. "We would have won if she didn't show up! Heaven would have been on their knees. Michael would have been desperate. There was a chance he could have ascended as a Predator in that battle."

It was why Rolan never used any techniques that made him into a Predator. He did not summon the Shadow of the Planet, the Nightmare named Behemoth, or draw from the endless reserves of the Shadow of the Ocean, the Leviathan. Nor did he use his conceptual abilities as an Acolyte. Using Gohmibeir was pushing it.

Among all the Candidates, Michael was the closest to reaching Predator level. He had the power and the experience. He only lacked the fortitude. He lacked the mentality to kill indiscriminately. He was too honorable and just. But that was because he had never dragged down to the ground. Everything had been handed to him on a silver platter.

Rolan had tried to break him and reconstruct him. It was why he wanted Michael to Fall by using the excuse of survival when last they met in Japan. Just a little push and Michael would have become something new.

But then Li Qin showed up. Forget _why_ she was dressed in Hyoudou's armor. Her arriving out of the blue, literally, ruined everything.

He doubted he could coordinate something like that again. Not something imposing enough for Michael to bring the full wrath of Heaven a second time around.

"It is impossible for me to keep tabs on her," Philips argued. "She travels too freely."

Rolan gave him a blunt glare, "Please. You and I both know about Trist. Speaking of which, did you find anything else about the Knight of the Round?"

Philips had no problems jumping to a new topic, "Your suspicions were right… this time. The enemy has made contact with the Round. I do not know if Siegfried is aware."

"I don't know why you people keep saying that," Rolan grumbled. "You're always surprised about me being right. It happens more than enough times for you to believe me but _nooo_ you keep insinuating the ever so few times I've been wrong. I can count with one hand how many times I've been wrong about these things!"

"Rolan."

"So the Brigade has their hands in the Round. Great. What can you confirm?"

"A member of the Siegfried-Germanicus family, who calls himself Siegfried, was speaking with Sir Galahad. This is the boy from the Hero Faction."

"You'd think cutting off a few limbs would have given them a good enough lesson," Rolan grumbled. "I should have killed them instead. But, no, I had to listen to you. Why? Because they were _human-human_? As in your ludicrously narrow-minded view of human? Philips, they are a bunch of Reincarnated Heroes— most of which have a trace of supernatural blood anyways."

"Rolan," Philips called again. "I could not hear what they were talking about. The one accompanying them spotted my Dusk Blade."

All expression dropped from Rolan. The only ones who could identify Philips' Twilight Blades were only those who had seen the Original Sun. In this World, there was an extraordinarily small amount of individuals who had. Rolan was one. Ophis was another.

"Ophis was there?" Rolan asked with disbelief.

"No, it was… someone else," Philips struggled to find the right words. "A man of red. Red hair, red eyes, and red clothes. He spotted my Dusk Blade as soon as it spotted them.

"Rolan, he moved as fast as Hyoudou can. And the World's System did not alert me of how big of a threat he was. He is more clouded to me than anyone else. I could not measure anything about him."

"…That might be what we are looking for."

*Scene*

"Serene-sama," Rias smiled warmly as the Third Predator entered the clubroom. "What can I do for you today?"

"Sister Serene!" Asia was out of her seat and around in an instant once the former Living Saint had appeared.

Amelia Rosewood gave the faintest of smiles for Asia but continued with her business. Her expression was as still as ever. "An honorific this time, Lady Gremory? I am not Japanese."

"True," Rias' smile didn't falter. She was entertained by this topic. "But I figured since you're to be my boyfriend's Queen and live here in Japan we'd get you accustomed to the land. Having that said, it is rare for you to visit the clubroom personally. What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping you heard about Master," Amelia cupped her hands together at her front. "It's been three days since he went searching for a familiar. I know he is still alive but… something is keeping him from returning. Has Lady Leviathan shared anything?"

"Not since the first day…" Rias' smile fell. "Tiamat-sama is still holding him hostage. Now, I'm not worried for his safety. Ise is more than able to defend himself. But I am worried about what he might do to her."

"Perhaps you should go to convince him to return?" Amelia pressed. "Lady Gremory, time is not our ally at the moment. The Rating Game draws nearer and Master has yet to find any other combatants."

"We've been busy on our end," it was Kiba Yuuto who responded. He placed a hand on Excalibur's head and began to pat it. "Buchou has been working us very hard in training. We might not be able to match someone like you or Ise-kun, but we'll be able to hold our own by August."

The blonde instrument gave Amelia a thumbs-up with a fierce look in her eyes.

Amelia studied the two of them for a moment. There was something about that testament that didn't set well with her. It had nothing to do with her Predator's instinct. She'd have to say it had something more to do with her intuition.

"Is that so…?" She turned back to Rias. "Is Master aware of this? I was under the impression he wasn't to include you."

This was news to Rias. Her face twitched. "Be sure we will be there. Sona is my childhood friend. I will not sit by and hand her over to a creep like him."

"Do you have a means to lay waste to a city?" Amelia challenged. "Or have you already forgotten the level of destruction from the Red Storm event?"

"Maybe in a few weeks, sure," Akeno answered with her blithe smile. Something sinister was peeking through behind her cheerful expression. "We've been… dedicated."

"E-Everyone's been working hard!" Asia was flustered. "Buchou even asked her cousin to train with us! We've been having mock matches against him and his peerage!"

"…Sairoarg Bael?" questioned Amelia. "The Heir to the Bael clan? That's hardly comparable, Lady Gremory. No, forgive me. It's not my place to question you. But I am concerned as you are my Master's significant others. If you are so serious about this, then perhaps you should ask Master to train with you instead?"

"We wanna surprise him," Koneko muttered with a stick of pocky between her lips. "The last time he trained with us was for the Rating Game against the grilled chicken. We want to at least be able to push him this time."

It really wasn't Amelia's place to say anything. Let her master be the one to tell them the truth.

She evaluated each of them with her Predator's perk. If all of them were to come at her at this instant she would be able to strike each of them down with minimal effort. It wasn't a matter of skill or power. As Devils, a single one of them outmatched Amelia and her human body.

But that's not how a Predator fights. It is about technique and circumstances. Physically, Amelia was the weakest of Predators. But she was still equal to her peers as an Ultimate Killer because of her Transfer of Sin by Creyroux.

It wasn't a question on how much they trained. They could harden themselves until they were at Candidate level such as Sirzechs Lucifer. In the end it wouldn't make much of a difference. It was _circumstances_ that made a Predator what they were. It was a question if they managed to obtain something that allowed them to kill _anything_ and to survive against _anything._

Then again… Amelia wasn't being entirely fair. There were others participating in the Rating Game other than Rolan and Issei. She had some mild suspicions on who Rolan would be bringing for his roster. And given the positions of the current Candidates, he wouldn't be able to bring someone on par with his destructive potential. So… there _was_ a small chance the Gremory peerage could keep up.

This was all assuming they couldn't find enough proxy pieces for the game and had to include the Gremory peerage to fill in the gaps.

"May I request to accompany you the next time you are… training?" she asked.

"Certainly," Rias smiled. "In fact, it would be a great help if you joined us. Would the Divine Beast do us the honor of being our instructor for one bout?"

Amelia thought about it for a moment. "That… may not be so wise, Lady Gremory. I am not like my master. My techniques are not the sort you can gradually learn to resist or overcome. But, I shall do what I can to assist you.

"I do happen to have another matter to discuss. I would like to borrow Asia for this evening. Will this be permissible?"

"We do have some clients who have requested her this evening…" Rias browsed through the list of requests on her desk. "I think today I can make an exception. Is this for her status as a Saint? Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask how that's been coming along."

"I haven't been able to perform a Miracle yet…" Asia shuffled around where she stood. "B-But I've been able to grant blessings and I helped Sister Serene with the church! I was even able to purify a haunted house!"

"Asia's progress has been… fortuitous," Amelia struggled to find the appropriate word. "I've not used the traditional methods of the Church to teach her. But her faith is unwavering and that's what's been guiding her."

"A Devil Living Saint…" mused Akeno. "I think this might be a first. Can you imagine the uproar once people hear about this?"

"You mean compared to everything else we've been involved with?" Koneko spoke up with her eyes locked on Amelia. "I think anything Asia does is grossly overshadowed by the pervert."

"Please excuse us then," Amelia gave a bow of respect to Rias. "We will depart before you begin your business. I don't wish to intrude from your duties."

"Very well," Rias waved her hand. "I'll let you know if anything happens regarding Ise. Have a pleasant evening you two."

"Bye, Buchou," Asia gave a bow just like Amelia. "I'll see you at home!"

The doors were shut behind them and they walked in silence until they reached the edge of the old school building.

"Sister Serene?" Asia looked up at what was ideally her foster mother. "Are we really going to the church? It seems like you didn't want me in the clubroom today…"

"Xenovia and Irina are waiting outside the academy for us," Amelia shared. "You are right; we are not going to the church this evening. Irina had mentioned about a… girl's night out. They wanted to include you."

"…That's not all, is it?" Asia tried again. "It feels almost like you don't like me being in the Occult Research Club. They're my friends and I like taking requests. A lot of them are fun. And Buchou makes sure nothing bad happens!"

They stopped walking halfway. Amelia leaned against a tree and crossed her arms. Her head tilted slightly as she thought about what to say. "You are a strange girl, Asia. Someone as devout in the faith as you wanting to partake in Devil affairs? It has only been a short few months and you've changed so much since the Holy Maiden."

"…I don't regret it," Asia said. "I don't regret healing that Devil. I saw someone hurting and I couldn't help but to heal him. I think I would have done it even if I knew he was a Devil beforehand."

Amelia studied her but didn't say anything.

Asia continued, "It's nothing like how the Church preached. Yes, there are some Devils that are mean. But not Buchou. It may be wrong but I like being a Devil. We get to make people happy. And… I would have never met Ise if I were still in the Church…"

Ah. So that's what it came down to. She was a girl in love.

"A Devil Living Saint…" Amelia pondered on the words Akeno had used. It was an interesting concept. The temptation to perform evil with the desire to enact good. Would this qualify as necessary evil? Or evil in the name of good?

Or good in the name of evil?

A very strange girl, indeed.

"There is no harm in you enjoying your youth," Amelia said suddenly. "You have all eternity to reap the greed of humanity. Come and have fun with your peers."

She really wanted to say Asia deserved to live a normal life. A life robbed from Amelia. It was why she had schemed with Rolan to get her out of the Church.

She wanted to give Asia the life Amelia could not have. To attend school, to have friends, to gossip over fashion and boys. To grow— to go on adventures and learn from her mistakes or thrive off of her triumphs. To be surrounded by people who could relate with her.

But… Asia was happy where she was.

Perhaps it was Amelia who was trying to live vicariously through her.

"Immaculate creation, overnight sensation~"

"…Huh?" Asia blinked and turned her head down the path. Someone was singing. The clatter of boots on cobblestone could be heard approaching.

"…Asia," Amelia whispered softly. She moved away from the tree and put a hand on Asia's chest, pushing her back. "How did I miss her…? Run. Get to Gremory and tell them to reach for Leviathan. Now!"

"S-Sister Serene…?" Asia was frightened. Truly frightened. This was the most amount of emotion she ever heard the Divine Beast Predator mutter.

Amelia's hand was shaking.

A woman approached them, dressed in the black cloak of the Church with a leather vest and knee-high boots. Her hood was red, however. She had short blonde hair hardly past her ears, emerald green eyes, and a layer of freckles running across from cheek to cheek.

She looked like an older version of Amelia.

"God you've really outdid yourself with this one…" the woman sang below her breath. Her eyes were locked on with Asia. "She's an… overnight sensation~"

Creyroux was in Amelia's hand, raised threateningly at the approaching woman. "Claudia, leave. You are not welcome here."

The woman shivered, her arms wrapping around her waist as a spasm coursed through her. This woman… she was a Living Saint?

"Hello, sister," the woman, Claudia, smiled gently. "Still as callous as always. I came all this way once I heard you became a filthy Devil. You just love to blaspheme at the Lord, don't you?"

"Do not bother," Amelia spat. "The Church is no more. And I am no longer a Living Saint. There is nothing you can do to drag me back."

"I'm not just here for you," she shrugged off the last of the spasm and stood straight. She had outright rejected the weakness all Living Saints wield by invoking their names. "Hello there, Asia. Lovely, sweet, immaculate Asia. Look at how much you've grown. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl. You look just like your mother."

It was by this point Asia decided it would be best to listen to Amelia's advice. She began to take a few steps away.

"Don't go just yet," Claudia cut her off. "Don't you know it hurts your auntie's feelings when you run away from her?"

Her words made Asia stop.

"…A-Auntie…?"

"We only met once," Claudia continued. She spread her hands out such as a loving family member would, ready to embrace her and welcoming her. "Claudia Rosewood. Little Amy here is my sister, making me your auntie. You might also know me as Inquisitor Vice. I'm the one usually tasked with dragging your mother back where she belongs—"

"Quiet!" Amelia spat with venom. Creyroux pulsed in her grip as a wave of black swept through the pathway.

Claudia reached out for it, grabbed the black wave as though it were fabric, and tossed it over her shoulder in a dismissive gesture.

"But now I have to kill you both," Claudia said with an almost sad tone. "What a waste. You were once as beautiful as your skin, Asia. We can't have the once Holy Maiden remain soiled as a Devil. Ick, especially since you're no longer a virgin. By a _dragon_ no less. You poor girl. Don't worry, Auntie will cleanse your soul forevermore."

There was a loud boom coming from the old school building. Amelia didn't dare to look away from Claudia but Asia did. She saw the windows to the Occult Research Club burst outwards as each of her friends scattered.

A figure ran up to the hole. A tall man wearing shades and a bottle of liquor in his hand.

"Hey!" his voice could be heard all across the campus. "Come on! I was only half joking about fucking your face!"

"Looks like the party's started," Claudia's voice was light. "Boys will be boys, I suppose. I'm sorry, Asia. Did you want to die with your mother or your new Devil friends? I'll let you choose."

"…My… mother…?" Asia's voice was barely audible as a torrent of emotions was storming inside her. Her friends were in trouble and Amelia had told her to flee to them. But… Amelia was her mother? That couldn't be true. Her mother was dead. Amelia was the one who told her. And it was Issei who confirmed it…

…Through a letter Amelia had written.

"There we have it," Claudia took it as her cue.

Her arms were a blur as daggers flew out of her wrists, aimed at Asia.

Amelia pushed her aside and let them stab into her. Creyroux drank in the wounds and repelled the daggers out of her flesh. The silver blade sang with a vengeance as Amelia swung the blade.

The sin was transferred without delay. Claudia flinched as her clothes tore and wounds opened precisely where her weapons had struck Amelia. But she didn't go down or retract. Her smile widened as a tint of red glossed her cheeks.

"Oh, sister, I forgot how much this hurts," she cackled.

The wounds were gone and her clothes were mended. She brought her arm up and pointed the palm at Amelia.

The Divine Beast was knocked off her feet as all the sin she had redirected was gathered into a compact ball and fired from Claudia's hands. The infliction of five daggers spread out across her body became one unified chunk of infliction. It struck her on the chest and impaled her as a black spear.

"Sister Serene!" Asia cried.

Amelia stumbled to catch her footing. Creyroux was already drinking in the sin to undo the infliction. She gasped to regain her breath.

" _Sister_?" Claudia raised a brow. "That's a very poor habit, Asia. The whore is furthest from God's Chosen."

"Asia, get to Gremory," Amelia ordered with a tense voice. "I cannot promise to protect you from this one. Do not let me fail Master."

"I… I don't want to leave you…" Asia whispered with fear coursing through her. Her hands were clenched tight enough to shake. Too many emotions were cycling through her.

She didn't want to leave because a part of her was telling her she wouldn't see her again.

 **"Do you know who I am?"**

As if sensing her conflictions, Amelia stood back up and invoked with a voice of power fueled by the essence of the planet.

Her face was tranquil once more. She was peace incarnate. She was the force of nature that would bring absolute peace to the world.

 **"I am Amelia Rosewood. I am Third Predator, the Divine Beast."**

It was all the assurance Asia needed. She understood now. Amelia was the exact same as Issei. And Issei would never lose, not even against his own peers.

She did not look back when she raced off towards the old school building in search of her friends. The sound of conflict could be heard in the distance. She ran off in that direction.

It was just Amelia and Claudia alone now.

Sin surrounded Amelia as she called upon everything in her arsenal. Diseases, plagues, illnesses of the mind, and concepts of wrongness slithered out of the blade and became corporeal creatures. The twilight of the sun could no longer be seen as they were surrounded by a world of black.

"Things are different, _sister,_ " Amelia spat. From her pocket she pulled out the Queen Piece from her master she always kept on hand. It was chipped away from the last time it had touched her taint. But she could use it again for this instance. "You cannot use my name against me. You cannot hope to beat me. You've doomed yourself."

"I know," Claudia said and meant it. Her eyes traced the wanton of sin lingering in the air. She reached out for it and began to pet one of them. It tried to bite her hand.

…And was obliterated as well as those around it for trying.

Amelia's eyes widened. "No…"

"Yes," purred Claudia. "I've been chosen, sister. I've met an Angel. A _real_ Angel and not those false cretins roaming in the skies. And he has blessed me with a means to oppose you _defenders of the planet._ "

Amelia had seen this before. Only once in their darkest hour.

Claudia brushed aside a small lock of hair at her brow. And there it was. The briefest of ink permanently etched on her skin.

"Adams McCain sends his best wishes," Claudia finished with a girlish giggle.

0-0-0

 _ **The Peak of Humanity**_

 _ **Section Three: The Fae**_

At the End of All Things, humanity has continued to thrive by evolving into creatures that can freely choose to live with or without the Original Laws that define existence. That is to say, to a certain degree, they have their own interpretation of existence and can choose to follow it.

The third of these creatures are revered as the Fair Folk, the Faerie, or the Fae. They are a group of humans who have followed the path of technology and science so advanced they can freely pick and choose what aspects of reality to manipulate. It is with their ingenious technology have they found a way to survive After the End by creating a realm of existence known as the mystic realm, or the Furthest Future.

But it is there where they stagnated. They had reached the peak of perfection with no means to advance their works. Nor did they have a way to return to the past such as the Dravirik Lae'cueri.

This was escaped when someone Before the End had managed to slip into their realm. He had crossed through by the calamity that had brought about the End known as the Abyss. In time, with his understanding of the Abyss and access to the Faerie technology, he had created a pathway for them to escape into the age Before the End.

This hero was known as the First King Oberon.

It has been a way of living by the Fae ever since. They are to select one human and follow his every demand, no matter how ridiculous or uneducated it may seem. And such was the point. As beings who had reached a peak of their existence, they craved flaws to correct. And what better than to follow the most flawed creations in existence?

This may have been influenced by King Oberon's short temper, his crude vocabulary, and his habitual method of purposely making things worse.

0-0-0

 **Servant of Oppai: the Presequel**

 **Part One**

Waver Velvet looked over the details for the fifth time. This was the first he'd have to do a large project like this one. He couldn't afford to mess this up. This was to be his crowning achievement. This was what would make him into a Master Magus and prove his thesis hadn't been wrong.

He could still feel the amount of humiliation his professor had brought onto him. He had spent countless hours working on that thesis, only to have the Archibald Magus make a mockery of him. His classmates all laughed at him and he lost most of his cridentials. He was almost kicked out of the Clock Tower but Kayneth Archibald took pity on him.

It was by dumb luck Waver was out in the hallway after the humiliation when he ran into the courier. He was given a package for the Magus who shot him down because the courier was too lazy to go out of his routine path.

Yes, Waver stole it because he had heard of the latest rumors. The chunk of metal within the package confirmed his suspicions. Kayneth Archibald was selected as a Master for the Holy Grail War.

Thus, after gaining all his resources and struggling with his magic, Waver was chosen as a Master as well. A few weeks later he was here in Japan.

It was almost time for when his magic would reach its peak. He had checked the magic circle enough times to know it was flawless. The catalyst was placed at the center and the chicken blood was still moist. This would work.

…It totally did not work.

The one he summoned wasn't some legendary hero. No! It was just some kid in a Japanese school uniform! Some local kid!

"Ah geez…" the kid coughed a few times and waved his hand around to blow away some of the smoke that had gathered from the ritual. "Another dude this time? Why can't a cute girl ever summon me? Alright. Well. I'm here. What do you want?"

"What… What do I want?" Waver was dumbstruck. "I wanted to summon a hero, that's what! Who are you?!"

"Ah yeah, that's right," the kid scratched the back of his head as he realized something. "Name's Hyoudou Issei. I'm the local Demon Lord. I'm a Devil and you contacted me. Must be pretty big if you called me of all people. And I'll have you know I am a hero! Brace yourself. This guy here is the Red Blur!"

He had a cheeky grin while pointing his thumb at himself.

"…Never heard of you," Waver said blandly.

"Wait what?!" Issei was completely thrown off his game by the comment. "That's impossible! Even the NEETs who live under a rock know about me. Come on, you're a magician, aren't you? You should especially know about the current Red Dragon Emperor!"

The Red Dragon Emperor? Now _that_ was something Waver knew about. But nothing about the current wielder of the Boosted Gear. Plus, it was only a rumor. Maybe someone higher up in the Clock Tower knew the specifics. Or those affiliated with the Church. But Waver wasn't a part of either of those inner circles and couldn't say anything about the Red Dragon Emperor.

"Look, all I want is a really strong hero for the Holy Grail War…" Waver's shoulders slouched. "I thought the catalyst belonged to a great hero since my teacher went through such lengths to get it."

Then again… if it was being delivered by the local postal service instead of going in person to acquire it… maybe Waver had overthought things.

Issei was busy examining the piece of metal placed at the altar. "Huh. Yup, this is totally a piece from the Scale Mail. I always thought this stuff dissolved once it fell off— Wait. Did you say Holy Grail War?"

His head swiveled around fast enough to leave a ripple running through his face. Issei stared at Waver for some time, not fully expecting an answer. His mind was elsewhere.

Finally, he groaned and began to rub the side of his head. "Oh man… Not again. Well, whatever I guess. I'm here anyways. Alright! What is it you want to wish for?"

"…You can't be serious," Waver looked at his summoned entity. "You really are a Heroic Spirit? There's no way you can be—"

His eyes widened as his Master vision looked into Issei's stats. It was true. Issei was a summoned Heroic Spirit under the Class of Rider.

But his parameters and skills… they were ridiculous!

Maybe there was some hope for him yet…

"My wish, huh?" Waver pondered for a moment. "Alright. I want those who belittled me to look up at me! I want to prove to them I wasn't wrong!"

Something flashed in Issei's eyes. Sympathy. Genuine sympathy belonging to someone who had gone through the same struggles as Waver.

His smile was as cheeky as before. "Yeah, I can totally help you with that. But I don't work for free. In exchange you have to give me something of equal worth."

"…What?" Waver's eyes narrowed. "That's not how it works. You are a Servant and I am the Master. You're supposed to obey me and fight for me. Don't you have a wish of your own to grant? I thought that's why you Heroes agree to this."

"Maybe normally but I'm kinda doing this as a Demon Lord too," Issei shrugged. "We Devils have a give and take method of profession. Besides, I'm the one granting your wish. Believe me, you don't want the Grail to grant it for you."

Waver was tempted to use one of his Command Seals. But he thought against it. It would have been such a waste considering how precious they were. They could come in handy in cases of emergency.

"Fine," he ended up complying. "Then… what do you want?"

For the record, he didn't believe in any of this Demon Lord rubbish. He'd taken a lecture in demonology and conjuration. Demons were _nothing_ like this kid.

"Boobs!" he shouted without shame… and a bit of drool. "The large kind! I'll accept it any form. Be it if you have a sister, a mother, childhood friend, or any other."

Waver blinked. "What? I don't have any of those things. Besides, I wouldn't give you a _person_ for something like this."

"Don't worry, Waver," Issei waved it off. "I understand. I was a virgin too until I turned seventeen."

A nasty tick sprouted over Waver's brow. "I'm _twenty._ And I'm not a virgin!"

"Eh?!" Issei took a step back at the outburst. "No way, seriously?! But you're so much shorter than me I thought you were Koneko-chan's age."

"I don't know who that is but I feel like I should be insulted."

"Koneko-chan is adorable! You should be honored!"

"That just makes it worse!"

They ended up arguing with another for the next hour in the middle of the forest. It went between negotiations of partnership for the War, a strange debate over dots or stripes, and a myriad of tears over previous broken hearts and crushed dreams.

It was an extremely unproductive day for the first night of the Holy Grail War.

*Scene*

Sparks lit up the night as two brands of mystic steel clashed. The Saber and the Lancer fought a valiant duel of skill. Their speed and technique was flawless. It wasn't a match of who the better fighter was but who the greater tactician was. Their handling of their weapons were on par with another and it came down to who could outsmart the other first.

The first blow belonged to the Lancer, having to cut through her mystic armor with his anti-magic spear. The second belonged to him as well, deceiving her to dismiss her armor and then cutting her with the cursed spear next.

The Saber's false Master could not heal her wounds. The Lancer's Noble Phantasm prevented such. Had she been anything but what she was now, she would have fallen from the constant bleeding.

The Once and Future King accepted the folly of her actions. This was a contest of the greatest of heroes coming together for the same goal. They all had their reasons for answering the call of the Grail. Just… hers drove her to the brink of insanity.

"Saaaaabaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Both Servants disengaged at the shrill shriek of something approaching due east. It was the only warning she would receive as a colorful streak slammed into her side. The air was knocked out of her lungs and she nearly released Excalibur.

It was a boy. A boy in modern attire with blazing wings of every color had wrapped his arms around her tiny frame… and shamelessly rubbing his face against her chest.

"Sabaaahaaahaaaaa!" he sobbed. "A friendly face finally! I'm so glad to have run into you again. I was afraid this Grail War was going to be nothing but a brofest!"

"You there!" the Lancer shouted. "Unhand her! Have you no respect for the fairer sex?!"

"I respect them more than I respect my own life!" the kid protested, while continuing to hold Saber tight. She could not break free from his inhuman grip. "I love women! I love their breasts just as much! Big or small! I especially love Saber-chan's! They may be small but they hold so much potential!"

"Whoever you are," Irisviel tried to protect the modesty of the Servant Kiritsugu entrusted with her. "Please let go of Saber!"

"…Ilya-chan, is that you?" the brown-haired boy gasped.

Irisviel blinked, stunned at the mention of that name. The name of her daughter.

"Illyaaaaaaaaa!" the boy sobbed further with a streak of tears following after him. He released Saber in exchange of harassing Irisviel. "Ilya-chan, look at how much you've grown. You're so tall and your breasts have gotten so big and soft. This must be the future. No wonder everything looks so different from the last time I was here."

"Wha-wha-wha-wha?!" Irisviel's face turned scarlet as the strange boy not only confused her with her daughter, but continued to rub his face against her bosom without the intention of letting go.

It took a swing from Saber's Excalibur for the boy to release her. It had been close, as thin as a hairline. Irisviel's skin would have been filleted if she so much as twitched.

"How dare you sully the virtue of my Irisviel," Saber was furious. "Is this the conduct befitting of a hero?! Announce yourself, Servant!"

"Saber-chan, how could you have forgotten about me…?" sobbed the boy. Genuinely sobbing. Tears continued to fall down his eyes. It abruptly stopped when his eyes flashed wide in realization. "Wait, what now? Irisviel? Saber-chan, you must be confused. This is totally Ilya-chan. No ways around it."

"Rider!" cried another boy. He entered the yard panting and sweating, having been running for a while. He needed a moment to catch his breath. "Don't… Don't just take off like that…"

So… this was the Servant Rider.

 _"Waver Velvet…"_ echoed the voice of Lancer's Master. _"So it was you who stole my catalyst. I did not think one of my own students would be foolish enough to betray me. Perhaps I should thank you. It seems like the strongest Red Dragon Emperor was nothing more than a fluke. I would have been left with this mockery of a Servant."_

The boy, Waver, flinched and scurried to where his Servant stood. He had no shame in cowering behind Rider.

The voice of the Master went on, _"It's only fitting I should reward you personally. Especially for giving me an easy victory. One less Servant to worry about. Yes. I shall do so exactly as a Magus should. From one Master to his apprentice…"_

There was a sneer in his voice that suggested anything but glamour and praise.

"Hey, douche-nozzle," Rider called out. "You can go suck it! I don't know what your beef is with Waver-san, but you're clearly the reason why he has an inferiority complex! You're the reason why I'm back in this stupid war! I bet you don't even like breasts, you monster! What kind of magician willingly chooses to summon a damn handsome in tights?! You should have summoned a kitsune with massive oppai!"

He was angrily shaking his fists at the box of crates in the distance. Did he… Could he tell the position of Lancer's Master?

 _"…Enough rabble,"_ the Master almost sounded bored. _"Lancer, get rid of this one first. You can continue your fight against Saber afterwards."_

Lancer had a dispassionate expression. He neither welcomed nor dejected his Master's orders. He could only feel some sorrow for the boy.

"Urk…" Rider gritted his teeth as Lancer prepared himself. "This feeling… I know this feeling very well. It's the feeling when a bishonen walks down the hall and all the girls flaunt over him. A damn handsome has appeared and crushes the spirits of my brethren. I can feel it. All their wandering hate and tears. How many beautiful babes have you stolen away? You… You're no better than that damn handsome Kiba!"

Lancer paused. Not because of the nonsense spewing out of his mouth.

His instincts as a warrior was screaming at him to not engage with this… creature. Not a hero. He was about to face off against a monster.

He didn't get any chance to flee. A fist coated in crimson metal collided with the right of his face. The world shook around him as a large boom echoed from the concussion. Lancer was flung back off his feet by the unreal force. His body slammed into the side of a crate. The metal groaned as it couldn't withstand the pressure and crumbled apart. The crates above it tumbled down at having losing their support and crashed onto him.

"That's for all bros everywhere who couldn't get a girlfriend!" cried out Rider. "Oh yeah. And that's also for hurting Saber-chan!"

His speed was absolutely ridiculous. He was nothing more than a blur where their eyes couldn't trace. Even the likes of a Servant couldn't keep up— a testament to Lancer who didn't have a chance to defend himself.

Saber's eyes locked on the red gauntlet donning the lower half of his left arm. It wasn't made of any steel with the way the metal seemed to breathe and flex depending on the wearer's movements. A large emerald was planted in the back of the hand and glowed in an eerie light.

There was something in the air that Saber hadn't felt in a very long time. Something frightening and welcoming at the same time. It was something as wrathful as the pagan gods and yet something familiar to her and her homeland.

"…Ddraig?" she whispered.

 _"I-Impossible!"_ the voice of Lancer's Master continued to echo.

"Leave it up to the foolishness of the ignorant," came a new voice. "The modern era is truly a waste to not recognize power when it appears."

Golden mist appeared, cycled, and began to come together. A new Servant appeared. It was a man in ornate golden armor, fair skin, blonde hair, and scarlet eyes of divinity.

"Gil is that you?!" shrieked Rider. "No way! You're a dude?!"

The new Servant's brows furrowed. "What's this now? Dravirik Lae'cueri, what future do you remember?"

"Future? I can't see the future. Plus, the last time I saw you, you were this really hot chick. It was kinda disgusting. I wasn't sure whether to like you or not. I mean, you're totally a dude but you had the most perfect breasts. I was so confused I didn't know what to do… But hey, I thought Shirou killed you off. How are you here again?"

"Rider," Waver spoke up. "This isn't your same War. This is probably another Servant pulled from the Throne of Heroes. He's just another copy of the original."

The golden Servant stared at Servant Rider. Eventually, he pulled his head back and began to laugh. "What a disastrous future of mine. I accept this challenge and will alter it. Tell me, Dra'cueri, will slaying you change anything?"

"…Eh?" Issei blinked.

A wall of gold appeared behind the golden Servant. It was a distortion of reality in which a link to a new dimension had been established. Golden ripples bounced like hundreds of raindrops splashing against it. Instruments of war began to seep out. Spears, swords, arrows, and hammers of immaculate make stretched out of the distortion.

With a snap of his fingers, the golden Servant sent each of these weapons firing like missiles at the Rider.

A grand eruption shook the ground as countless Noble Phantasms rained down at the spot the Rider had once stood. Saber put herself in front of Irisviel in order to shield her against the debris before they relocated to safety.

The barrage stopped.

When the dust settled, the Rider stood where he had once been. He hadn't moved from his position as his Master was right behind him.

The field was littered with Noble Phantasms impaling the ground and the nearby crates. Not one of them had pierced the Rider but he was not unscathed. His clothes was in ruins and he was covered in small cuts. He may have been able to deflect most of the weaponry but not at a close call.

"I wasn't going to do this but you kinda pissed me off there," Rider wiped a bit of blood running down his lips. "I mean, seriously, what the fuck? No, don't bother. I'm just gonna…

 **"Balance Breaker."**

Saber could feel it. This was undeniably the power of the Welsh Dragon. A storm of red exploded where Rider stood as an ocean of prana crashed everywhere. It was as intense as a great inferno but was still contained. None of this exposure harmed them.

The Rider had invoked his Noble Phantasm. He donned a suit of crimson armor in likeness to the Welsh Dragon.

A new barrage of weapons was unleashed without warning. The sky was littered with silver streaks as Noble Phantoms were fired at blinding ferocity.

The Rider roared. A shockwave amplified by his draconian power knocked them aside.

Then, he moved as impossibly fast as he once did against the Lancer. Colorful wings ignited out of his back and he zipped away as a crimson streak.

His fist struck the golden Servant's abdomen, breaking through the series of legendary shields he had pulled out of the dimension. The mystic properties of his golden armor did little to protect him. It cracked as he was launched off the lamppost he once stood.

There would be no retaliation. The Servant vanished suddenly, perhaps forcibly dragged away by the use of a Command Seal.

The draconian Servant spun back around and gently glided down with the grace unbefitting as an aspect of carnage. Nor did he dismiss his armor.

"Now that everyone's gone…" he said while making sure by turning his head around. It wasn't missed how his head snapped at the location Kiritsugu and Maiya had been perching.

Suddenly, he grabbed Saber in his arms and swung her around, "Saber-chaaaaaaaan! How's Shirou? And Sakura-chan? Oh, oh, oh! And Tohsaka-san! Is Caster-chan still nude? I don't know how much time has passed but my Dress Break should have worn off after a year or so. Eh, Ilya-chan, did you cross the line you shouldn't and get with Shirou? If Ayame-chan grows to be like you I might be tempted to go dark side."

"Rider, you know these people?" Waver was the only calm one who approached the Servant without any worry. In fact, the expression on his face told he had already grown accustomed to this level of nonsense.

"Let go of me already!" Saber protested. "This is indignant for a knight!"

"Yes, please!" Irisviel had a stern expression. "For that matter, how do you know the name of my daughter? Are you, by chance, a hero from the future?"

"…Eh?" Rider blinked (but still didn't let go of Saber). "D-Daughter?! Eh?! You're Ilya-chan's kaa-san?! Wait… I feel like I should be remembering something. Saber-chan, didn't you tell me I did something to… was it someone named Irisviel? Hmm… I can't remember."

"I've never met you," Saber stopped squirming. "I cannot answer something I have no knowledge about."

"You know… something's been bothering me lately," Waver mentioned. "Some of the things you've been saying don't make sense. I mean all the remarks not about debauch things. Never mind all this talk about demons and your second time through the War…"

Saber blinked. There was some semblance in that last comment.

Waver continued, "Rider, what's the current year?"

Rider tilted his head with the eyes of an extremely confused individual. "20XX. Why?"

Both humans stared at him.

"Um…" Irisviel tried to smile. "The current year is 19XX…"

Rider didn't say anything for the longest time.

"EHHHHHHHHHH?! YOU MEAN I'M TEN YEARS IN THE PAST?!"

And thus was yet another (less) unproductive day of the Holy Grail War.


	7. Party Crashers

**AN: No trivia at the end. Couldn't think of anything that matched with this chapter.**

 **Also, this chapter is split in two. It started to get to 32k before I realized I was only a third done. So I nipped a few scenes and will add all the rest next week. I really wanted this to be crammed in one chapter too...**

 ***shrugs***

* * *

"Hey you. Let me tell you a little secret. Do you hear it? It's going _zoom, zoom, iyaaan_ ~"

Issei opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of nowhere. No, he was in the city. There were people around them. To his left was the local park where he was taught the truth by the stranger. To his right was the grocer he used to go with his mother and had still gone to the same one to this day. Up the street was the path that would eventually lead to Kuoh Academy. And down it would be his home.

Cars came and went. People walked up and down the sidewalks. People chatted with others. Kids played in the park. Birds flew overhead. There was a soft breeze.

And the Vampire was there, leaning against wall of another shop.

"Why are you here?" Issei asked. His body naturally coiled, ready for a fight.

But no matter how hard he tried, none of his powers would answer his call.

"You and I both know the answer to that," the former Fourth Predator's smile was too large for his face. "I'm not the real one, either. We know this. You killed the real fat bastard. He's gone for good and he'll never bother you again. Your little chickies are safe. At least from him."

"You look a little too much to be like him."

This was different from the real world. There was no way this was the real world. There was something… different. Not wrong. No. It felt… right.

Issei was skinner, bearing the thin frame of a normal high school boy. The scars left from his adventures as the Red Blur and from his brawl against the Vampire didn't ache his body. And his mind was clear from the constant bombardment of the World. He could not sense his surroundings and for once he could think clearly.

His body was neither Devil nor Dragon. He was… human.

He found himself staring at his hands. These were the hands belonging to a normal boy his age. This was the body he would have had if he had never awakened his Sacred Gear.

He knew this was all a lie. Yet, it didn't stop the tears from forming.

"Don't be a little bitch now," the Not-Vampire spat. He grunted as he hefted his round body off the wall and wobbled a few steps forward. "What do you think you're doing dreaming like this? Where's the bitches? Come on, little shit. Didn't you go on and on about wanting a harem?"

"Why are you here?" Issei asked again.

He knew the reasons why. Something in the back of his mind told him why but he didn't want to face it.

"Because you're a scared little bitch, that's why," the former Fourth told exactly what went through his mind. "The guy you killed is dead. Totally. The World recognizes you as Seventh Predator. No shits about it. The guy left one hell of an impression on you if you're dreaming about him. You can't get rid of him, can you?"

"I won. That's all that matters. Just like you said, he'll never bother anyone else again."

"No shit. He's dead. I just got done explaining this. Look, brah, you're kinda just roaming here. Just move on. I don't get while you're lingering on the past."

"It's because he stole everything from me!" Issei shouted. "He killed my parents! He went after Asia and Ayame! And then he went after everyone else I loved! He wouldn't have stopped if I didn't kill him!"

"True, true," the Not-Vampire nodded his head affectionately… with the twisted smile belonging to a creature of horror. "All those babes are livin'. Yeah. It only cost the lives of millions too."

The scene changed. It was like something straight out of an apocalyptic movie.

The sky was black with ash and smoke. Buildings were in ruins. The park was decimated and the streets were scarred.

The stench of burning flesh and the screams of the dying surrounded him.

"So the guy you killed is dead. And your battle with him ruined somewhere around one percent of the world's populace. One percent isn't that much. Sure, it's still millions on the global scale. But only one out of a hundred. Look on the bright side! You avenged your parents and everyone else this guy fucked with. Everyone should be praising your name now that the big ol' bad Vampire is dead.

"Oh, wait…" he cackled at the irony of his words. "Everyone hates you. That's right! Well kid, I don't know what else to tell ya. Doesn't seem like much of a bright side in any of this."

"You're not real," Issei told himself and started to walk away. "None of this is real. This is all just a really bad dream. I didn't burn Kuoh. You're dead."

"Nah, but you did destroy three other cities, bring nine others to their knees, and created a natural disaster within the Western Hemisphere. Good job!"

"Shut up!" Issei spun and went to swing his fist at the fat monster.

He stopped his fist when it wasn't the Vampire who was there.

It was Sona.

She eyed the knuckles inches away from her face, dismissed them, and fixed her glasses. Her eyes were as sharp and calculating as they always were. "Ise-san, what do you think you're doing?"

Ise-san. That was how she used to call him before the incident with Ayame. It was when she was more like his personal secretary than his close friend.

"Um… sorry?" he reeled back and shirked on his posture.

Her eyes narrowed but she wouldn't dream of correcting him. Not when she was like this. Despite how collective she may seem, he could still read the amount of fear brewing in her eyes. She was still terrified of him for the sort of threat he presented.

And… upon looking around at the devastation, she would have been right.

"Honestly…" Sona breathed out as she took an eyeful of her surroundings. "I thought we went over things like this. Didn't we go through several scenarios and run-throughs in order to minimalize damages? I had thought we had that down when we perfected your red blur technique."

Ah. That's right. It was Sona who had been his mentor… sort of. She was the one who taught him how to strategize, how to prepare for operations, and how to manage his powers. She was the one who guided him when no one else could. Together, they finalized the trademark signature that named him as the Red Blur.

Seriously. Flying around fast enough to only be seen as a blur to human eyes is a lot harder than people give him credit for. The Gift of Flight might not follow the same laws of aviation and Newtonian physics, but it still couldn't do much on his perceptions of reality and sense of time. Traveling at such high speeds required more than just sheer willpower and brawn.

"I'm sorry," he bowed his head and apologized to her. "I remember all the lessons. You helped me so much. You even helped me with my homework when you didn't have to. I let my anger get over me and I went loose. All of this was my fault."

She did something the real Sona wouldn't have done. She put her arms around him and pulled him in for an embrace. He could feel her hands running through his hair as she comforted him.

He knew this wasn't real. He knew this was just a dream. He knew the real Sona would never do something like this. She had proven that when last they met.

But… he needed this. Real or not, he needed this.

"You're better than this, Ise," she said in the tone when she was his dear friend. "It's not over. Just because the Vampire is no more doesn't mean it's not over. You still have the Evensong to worry about. You still have to protect everyone from the other Predators. And you need to beat Rolan at his own game.

"The words I told you were not lies. They were harmful but you know them to be truth. It is a necessary truth, Ise. But do not fall from them. You've been through worse. Get back up and learn from them. I told you to turn your weakness into your strength.

"I told you. You're different from _them._ "

She smiled. It was hardly a smile with her stern expression but he'd be able to spot it from a mile away.

"Ise, all you need to do is listen," she said next. "Not from the whispers from the World. Listen to your heart. Ignore everything else. Can you hear what it is saying?

"Zoom, zoom, iyaaan~"

She was gone when he went to grab her hands. Of course she was. At the moment he began to regain control over this dream would she slip away. The words she shared was not the wisdom of Sona Sitri. It was his own mind interpreting whatever he wanted. It was the knowledge the real Sona had spat at him and it was his mind trying to find peace.

Someone was tugging on the back of his shirt.

When he looked, his eyes widened before more tears began to sprout.

"To cry at the side of a cute little girl…" Nakashima Ayame took a cautious step away from him. "You pedophile…"

"I'm sorry," he said with too much emotion. It made his voice echo and the world around them distort. Too much emotion had sprouted at the sight of her and his words only made it worse. All he felt was guilt at the sight of her. He didn't deserve to look at her.

"You're really grossing me out," her voice was as sharp as he remembered. The look in her eyes told him he should be ashamed to be among the male populace. "I wouldn't have been such a fanatic if I knew my hero was a shut-in lolicon this entire time."

"I'm sorry…"

Ayame shuffled in her footing, uncomfortable with his reaction. She only got like this whenever he didn't react to her teasing. "Ise-nii… really… stop crying. You shouldn't be crying."

"You don't understand!" he blurted out. The tears started to fall down and he wept like a little boy. He wasn't a man. He wasn't her hero. He was just some whelp. "I couldn't save you. No. I _could have_ saved you but I didn't! I let you die, Ayame. I can't be your hero. I didn't beat the villain when I should have."

"…So?" her tone was twice as sharp as before. She walked up to him and kicked his shin. Had it been in the real world and she would have hurt herself. But in his mind, he was the one reeling in pain on the floor. "You got stronger out of it, didn't you? You unlocked the Juggernaut Drive and you took command over your predecessors."

"That wasn't the point! I would have never traded power over you! Nor over anyone else! I don't want to be a Predator. I never wanted this power. I never wanted anyone to die because I was born with a Sacred Gear. I never asked for this! All I wanted was to live a normal life and get a girlfriend. Yet wherever I am, whatever I do, someone always dies because of me. My parents, you and Asia, and everyone else during the Red Storm.

"You were just a little girl. And because you knew me were you made into a target. He did terrible things to you just so I could be forced to become stronger…"

Ayame's glare hardened. Both out of her own struggle to figure out how to approach this problem as well as pure disgust over his breakdown. As a girl isolated for so long, her interaction skills with other persons was at a bare minimum.

She chose to kick him in the shin again. Just… not as hard as the last time.

"Ise-nii…" her voice was hoarse. Despite the image she was trying to project, she could not hold back her eyes from reddening as tears threatened to sprout. She did well to hold them back to make her point. "I don't blame you. I never will. You did try to save me— _as a hero should_."

She put her finger to his lips to shut him up before he could retort.

"You're my hero, Ise-nii. You may be a disturbed pedophile who gets off whenever I sit on your lap… but you're my friend. You're my brother. I didn't ask much from you when we first met, but you gave me everything. I only wanted someone to spend some time with to ease the boredom, but you gave me someone I could lean on and someone who needed me just as much.

"It did hurt when the Face-Stealing Monster came to me. But you came to rescue me. And when he came again, you still fought for me. When I was on the bed… and when you returned… it was the happiest I've ever been. You loved me. And I loved you."

She tried to keep a straight face. She did her best. Her brows scrunched up and she crossed her arms with her fingers digging into her arms. But it wasn't enough to keep her still. Her shoulders began to shake and she couldn't keep up the façade.

"I don't hate you, Ise-nii," she carried on. "Nor should you hate yourself. You can't blame yourself forever. You can't save everyone. But you can learn. And you can stop the bad guys from doing it again. You've already stopped the Face-Stealing Monster. Now you need to beat the one monster only you can defeat.

"Yourself. Ise-nii, you need to defeat yourself in order to save yourself. Only then will you realize I'm not dead."

Issei shook his head. "Ayame… you are dead. I held you when you… stopped."

He didn't have the strength to recall that memory.

Ayame's lips became a fine line as she put her hands on her hips. "Ise-nii, you and I know that's a lie. You just don't want to believe it. Everything is telling you otherwise. Those girls, my _real_ self, and even the World and its Predator System.

"I'll prove it. My right nipple is my weak spot. Give it a few rubs and I'll go weak at the knees. It's what I do whenever I'm— I-I'm only telling you this so you know it's the real me! GOT IT?!"

He could only stare at this strange figment of his imagination. "…Eh?"

"Zoom, zoom, iyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan~" was her response as she slipped back to her blunt expression. "Trust me. The breasts don't lie. Chichigami-sama told me."

"…Who and what?"

"Ise-nii," Ayame looked up at him once more with the eyes filled with childish wonder. She was looking at him once more as her hero. "I still love you. I always will. No matter what happens, you'll always be the Red Blur to me."

"What are you going to do now, Partner?"

The next to appear was… him. It was Issei.

No, this Issei wasn't the human one made from the dream. This was the Issei from the real world. He had muscle, broad shoulders, and a spray of pockmarks on his skin. Those were the marks of facing incarnations of disasters, gods, and his fellow Predators. Despite the grand difference between the two, this Issei continued to have the large and friendly smile.

This Issei also had sad and lonely eyes. He had lost so much and was barely holding on to hope. But it was there. There was a defiant light refusing to go out in his gaze.

"I didn't give you my power to do nothing with it," Real Issei crossed his arms. "Come on. You had big dreams! Ever since you were small you wanted to squeeze a pair of knockers! Didn't you swear to become the Harem King?!"

"Shut up, I am the Harem King!"

"No! You've only graduated from your virginity! You've barely started your harem! You only have Rias and Asia! Didn't you say you wanted to lie in a mattress of breasts every night?! Do you realize how many girls you need for something like that?!"

"It's not the same," fake Issei protested. "It's all been a lie. I tried to accept it. But I can't. The only reason why I have Rias and Asia is because… of those wings."

Real Issei activated the second Gift. A pair of slender ethereal wings thinner than his Gift of Flight appeared from his lower back. They did not extend outwards. Instead, they wrapped around his waist and crossed over, liken to a sash.

"Oh yeah, huh," Real Issei ran his fingers along the ridge of the left wing. "The Gift of Seduction. You got this by gaining the attention of [Twilight] and [Nothing]. Kudos on scoring the Queen. Hardly anything gets her attention. But… [Twilight]? My only piece of advice with her is… good luck."

"Yeah, thanks a lot. She's smoking hot but I think she's crazier than an S-Akeno."

"You have no idea… I really thought I was going to die back in the Euphoria realm. Believe me, you don't want to hear that story. Things haven't been any better since I came here to the Synthesis realm. Since I got trapped in a seal she's been building pent-up aggressions towards me. Just make sure to grope her before she kills you. And, hey, don't talk about an S-Akeno until you sleep with her.

"But, anyway, regarding Asia and Rias? Do you really believe something like this will make them fall for you? It doesn't work that way… least not as you think. The Gift of Seduction only gets their attention when it's inactive. And on your end, it makes you more sympathetic with their feelings. It's a tool, Partner, not a weapon. Every Gift only sharpens the skills you already have to the highest potential. It can't do something you don't know how to do or can't do.

"That also includes making you terrific in the sack," he said with a perverted grin while leaning over to whisper this secret.

"Sharpens my skills…?" Fake Issei blinked at him and leaned away. "Yeah, right. Because _anybody_ can fly. Tell that to my Gift of Flight."

"It's different when you turn them on," Real Issei scratched his cheek. "All Gifts sharpen your skills naturally when off. But turned on? They break the rules and let you do the impossible. For that price you've been just chipping away. Then again… you're almost a Dravirik Lae'cueri. It should be fine… probably.

"Oh. Just make sure to never turn on the Gift of Seduction. _Then_ people will be falling for you whenever they see you. It sounds awesome. But I'm not a fan of forcibly having babes love me. It's not the same as winning them over myself."

"Then… Rias and Asia…"

"They love you, yeah," Real Issei smiled assuredly. "So do some others, as a matter of fact. That was through your own merits, too. So hurry up and score with them already! We gotta build that harem while we still can!"

"…Who are you?" Fake Issei asked.

"I'm you," Real Issei responded, blinking with surprise. "Well… no, not really. It's really more like you're me. Look, I don't get it myself. I'm more of a hands-on sort of guy so all the specifics really go way over my head. If you want all the technical stuff you should go talk to [Entropy].

"Partner, let's just say we're one in the same. It's not true but that's the best way I can explain it without giving both of us a headache. The point is, I've been here for you the entire time. I've struggled with you. I was there when you first got your wings. I was there when you were starting to morph into a Dravirik Lae'cueri. I was there when you busted your first robbery.

"I wasn't there when Kaa-san and Tou-san died… I regret that. I always do. Things might have been different.

"We worked together through a lot of things. I beat the tar out of a few monsters. But the one monster I could never beat was Sona-kaichou. Especially when she gave me a lecture."

Both Issei shivered as every recollection of the Devil's scornful lessons was recalled.

"I made sure to be there whenever the Vampire appeared," Real Issei said. "We used everything in our power to stop him. And we won. Together we won, Partner."

"At a cost," Fake Issei reminded him.

"…At a cost," Real Issei agreed with reluctance. "I don't regret it. That's not to say what we did was wrong. And I am sorry at how many people lost their lives and homes. But I can't look back at it. I accept the burden and the blame. And I'm going to use that to move forward.

"Partner, you can't stay huddled up like this. Let me help you. I've always been there just as you've been there for me. We need to work together or else we won't be able to protect the World we love. All the breasts we haven't touched are threatened. The ones we love are still in danger. Face it, you're not strong enough. I'm not strong enough either.

"But, together, we can achieve something greater than a Predator."

"…Ddraig?" Issei asked. "You… You're Ddraig."

The other shook his head with a bit of a goofy smile. "That's… kinda like how [Twilight] is Tiamat. Ddraig is kinda like my stage name. I'm more like… [It Can Happen].

"Or, just call me [Potential]."

*Scene*

"Oh yeah, just put the grub over there," Josh said. He pointed to one of the tables of the clubroom while he carried the box fool of booze to another.

"Why isn't anyone else helping?" complained Gabe. "Martin and Ruben are just standing there chatting. I don't know where Pete went. And Manuel…"

"I think Larry went with Pete…" Josh muttered as he began to assemble things across the small table at the center. "Manny's smoking down in the quad. And fuck those two."

"Do you need any help?" Rias asked as she looked up from her evening briefing. She was just about to hand out tasks to her servants when the group walked in.

"Actually, yes," Josh looked up with nothing but a charming smile. He adjusted the position of his sunglasses. An obscure glare refracted off the lenses when he did so. "Do you mind if we move the sofas out of the way? We kinda need the space. There are a good number of us."

"Certainly," Rias smiled back. "Kiba, Koneko, would you mind helping this gentleman?"

"Yes, Buchou," Yuuto stood and went to follow his orders.

Koneko frowned at having to move from her favorite spot but obeyed as well. While Yuuto had to push the sofa to the side, her Rook strength allowed her to lift the sofa on the other side with a single hand. Her other hand was occupied with another piece of pocky.

"That won't do at all," Akeno went to assist Gabe. "The assortment is all wrong. You'll make a mess if you place things like that."

"I don't think it really matters," Gabe said to her. His own sunglasses gave off an unusual glare.

"Gabe, shut the fuck up and let the bitch help you," Josh chided him while he picked up a bottle of rye for himself. He pulled out a corkscrew out of his pocket. "Mind your manners. This is their room and they're so nice as to let us use it while we fuck their faces."

"Yes, Gabe," Rias raised a finger and chided as well. "Let the bitch help you. Otherwise I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"…Cali-chan doesn't get it," Excalibur said while she helped her father move the furniture. "What's going on? Who are these people?"

"They're guests," Yuuto answered with a gentle smile. "Be on your best behavior, Cali-chan."

"What the fag said," Josh spoke while he continued to struggle with the cork. "Be on your best behavior and I'll let you be the stick when we use your mother-father as a piñata. Sounds fun, right? Fuck, this damn thing won't…"

"Here," Koneko approached him and asked for the bottle. When he handed it to her, it took minimal effort on her part to do what he couldn't. The cork was pried out without any of the contents spilled or the cap bouncing everywhere.

"Hey, thanks!" Josh said with sincere praise. He took the bottle while rubbing the top of her head, his hands stroking her just as he would for a small kitten. "I'll let you decide if you want to be skinned or burnt when the party starts. How's that sound?"

She tried to scowl at him. It was hard when he knew where to scratch. It was twice as hard for her to suppress her purring.

"A party? Oh my. When do the festivities start?" Akeno inquired.

Gabe answered her while he watched her do all the work, "As soon as everyone gets here. Two of us are outside the room. Our oldest is in the quad. And fuck if I know where the others went. They should have been here but instead made us do all the preparations."

"You should have told me in advance," Akeno wagged her finger. She was upset. "I would have prepared better snacks than all this... fried food. It looks American. Honestly… You've never tasted the wonders of Japanese sweets, have you?"

"Only once," Gabe responded. "Our youngest made us some one year."

"A party?" Rias spoke up while Akeno and Gabe were chatting away. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. We could use a break from our regular schedule. Do you mind if I invite a good friend of mine and her peerage?"

"Not at all," Josh answered with his smile growing. "I was hoping you could. The more the merrier…"

"Your youngest…?" Akeno tilted her head. She sounded genuinely intrigued. "How many of you are there?"

"Big family," Gabe continued to blabber on. How could he not? She was the hottest piece of ass he'd seen in a very long time. "Used to be eight of us. But Tubs went and kicked the bucket."

"Should I tell her to bring anything?" Rias asked while she conjured a magic circle at her palm. She had yet to connect it to Sona.

Josh took a long swig before answering. "Just her company is more than enough."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" Akeno went on. "What happened?"

Gabe's sunglasses almost fell off. His eyes were locked on her massive tits. They did magical things when they were pressed together when her hands were clasped at her front. "He, uh, got himself killed. Fought against a Predator and lost. It was just recent too. We're here to get his ashes and kill you guys."

"…Your brother was the Vampire."

The spell crumbled as easily as a hammer would meet glass.

Akeno was the first to break free with her mind being shaken hard enough to realize her situation. The recollection of the Vampire brought her out of a lackluster dream. When she muttered his title, it sent a ripple effect throughout the room. Everyone had heard her as mentioning anything about the former Fourth Predator was the ultimate taboo.

The Occult Research Club was free from a spell they didn't know they were under. They looked at the two in a new light.

As threats.

As she was the first to break free, she was also the first to act.

Akeno unleashed a small storm of lightning within the clubroom, uncaring of how much damage it may cause to the room. Her eyes were maddened with the lust to kill as she put all of her emotion into the first strike.

It should have obliterated Gabe with how close he was to her.

Akeno let loose a scream as her lightning backfired and sprayed all over the room. Her body was flung back and launched out of one of the windows.

The others scattered with shields erecting but were too pushed out of the room. Her lightning tore apart their surroundings and made several pockets. The clubroom was demolished and the Devils scattered.

"Hey!" Josh went to the edge of the widest hole and shouted after him. Behind his glasses, his eyes glowed bright enough to leave a shadow on his face. "Come on! I was only half joking about fucking your face!"

He cursed once more as he climbed out of the hole and towards his brother. He didn't say anything, just glared down at the fool who fell on his ass. He took a quick swig of the rye.

"What happened?" Gabe tried to play innocent. There was an echo in his voice and his eyes glowed somewhat as his power was channeled. It wouldn't work on Josh. "I didn't do anything and she just attacked me like—"

Josh put up a finger, drew his head back, and gulped down as much of the rye as he could. It wouldn't do any good for him to get drunk so early in the party. He needed a little bit of his wits now that everything was out of schedule.

Fucking Gabe.

He smashed the half-bottle over the side of his brother's head.

*Scene*

"Akeno!" Rias flew down to her closest friend. "Are you all right?"

"Just surprised… that's all," Akeno got up where she had been thrashed around. Her spell had backfired and exploded in her face. The damage had been minimal as it was aligned with her attunement for lightning, but all the power she put into it still shoved her out of the room. She tumbled through the air, crashed through one of the surrounding trees, and bounced around on the ground. It hadn't hurt, per se, but it did stun her.

They both turned and went on a defensive stance when the stranger appeared. His body had flickered like the static image of a television blinking in and out before becoming clear. There was something electrifying the air coming from him.

He sighed and removed his sunglasses. His eyes were a metallic silver. They shimmered such as how oil would refract a multitude of colors on steel in the light. And they were glowing bright enough to leave a shadow on his face.

"Sup?" he said with a toothy smile. It was almost as charming and loving as the sort Kiba would wear. "Name's Joshua. Please call me Josh— only ma gets to call me by my full name. It's nice to meet you."

"I can't say the same," Rias bit back. Her Power of Destruction began to course through her fingertips. "I don't know how you managed to fool us. It doesn't matter. I don't take threats against my servants too lightly."

Several meters away, a tall spire of rock and concrete had sprouted out of the ground. The sound of explosions were going off. The two Devils could sense the signature of another individual just like this Joshua person and Koneko.

"Shit," Joshua cursed while he pulled out another bottle from seemingly nowhere. He began to struggle with it the same as last time. "I better get started before Ruben wracks up all the points. Get this, the one who scores the most amount of points gets to go home with a neat little basket. Has all sorts of good stuff. So, uh, it would be great if you two died. I really need the Blu-ray player."

Both of their answers was to unleashed a combined torrent of storm and destruction. Blinding lightning crossed together with consuming darkness in a unique spell that would obliterate anything.

Josh's eyes brightened as the electricity in the air increased. There was an added weight to their shoulders as a secondary energy source sprouted out of his skin.

Their attack frayed and splashed around him with a wide berth.

He did, however, extend his arm outwards for the Power of Destruction to eat off the tip of the bottle, having given up trying to mess with the cork. The glass was cleanly cut but he had no problem at all putting it to his lips and taking a swig without cutting himself.

"You're the one who ruined my spell," Akeno realized. "What are you people?"

"Acolytes?" Josh asked rather than told. "Something like that anyways. Didn't really bother getting to learn the correct lingo regarding Tubs' table-top games. I'm of the Magnetism affinity, by the way. So, uh, yeah!"

He lifted his hand and snapped his wrist. The air became denser as his eyes glowed bright enough to illuminate the area.

The ground shook as the power cables from underneath tore apart the cobblestone path. They whipped around with sizzling energy still coursing through them.

Rias and Akeno split up, taking flight to avoid getting whacked, wrapped, and shocked. They blasted their way through when they could not avoid anything.

"Magnetism?" Akeno had a mirthful smile at the implication. "My, that would certainly explain how you did it. But, honestly, what sort of Queen would I be if I _only_ used lightning?"

Josh raised a brow at her words.

Magic circles appeared around the Queen as a new wave of elemental attacks was unleashed. Geysers of water and spears of ice were met with blades of wind and streams of fire.

Josh's body flickered out of existence before anything could hit him.

He reappeared out of harm's way with the hem of his jeans frayed.

…Only to have a blast of Rias' destruction crash down on him. She had been able to see his movements. It was an interesting trick. The energy source he was using was the same that charmed them and manipulated the magnetic force. He used it to push himself off the ground, accelerate his movements, as well as cloud himself in protections and to warp the light. He was almost invisible.

Almost.

Destruction continued to cackle in her fingertips as she hovered above the ground. Her eyes narrowed on the spot she unleashed her strike.

"…Ow," Josh said. His skin was sizzling where his powers could not protect him. He had used a similar trick to shield himself from most of her attack, but her destruction had eaten through it and latched onto his skin. It wasn't enough to finish him or leave any critical wounds. They were surface burns at best.

He lifted the rye up to take another swig but stopped himself short. He instead lifted a finger while trying to figure what words to use in his next approach. "Let's… try that again. I know I'm a little drunk and all, but won't do no good for my rep to be done in by some high school ladies."

The air pressure increased tenfold. The weight made the two of them fall to the ground and buckle their knees at the landing. The light around Josh became distorted as his power was unleashed without limits.

The only thing they could see were his eyes. They shone like a pair of stars in a black night.

*Scene*

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" spat Larry.

"Piss off," Pete spat back. "It's a big school. And you've no idea either. I know I didn't read the shit Joshy and Gabe wrote for us— and I _know_ you didn't neither. Look, let's just ask someone."

"God, what a womanly thing to do," Larry sneered with a bit of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, alright, whatever. Hey, there's someone right there. Excuse me! We're a little lost."

The two had ditched the rest of their brothers in order to get ahead in the game. They agreed (though both schemed to stab the other in the back) to share the loot if either one of them scored the highest. They ended up wandering around the school grounds in search for their prey.

"Um… yes?" It was the unfortunate Pawn of Sitri, Ruruko, who had been in the hallways when they approached her. There were a few files in her hands retrieved from one of the classrooms and to be sorted out in the student office. "How can I help you?"

Pete adjusted the sunglasses over his eyes. They shimmered a strange color in the light. "Yeah, we're looking for the Student Council office. Need to have a little chat with the prez and her groupies. Happen to know the way?"

Ruruko tilted her head curiously as her eyes went between the two of them. They landed once for a brief instance on the bat Larry was carrying.

'Ol Blue' was written on the side in faded lettering. It was an aluminum bat… a very dented and abused bat with stains of red and other dark colors.

Her heart raced as her body recognized the signs of dangerous individuals. Pete's eye techniques might not be as good as Josh and he didn't have the charming affinity of Sound like Gabe, but it was enough to confuse this little girl.

"…Sure," Ruruko nodded slowly. Her eyes became glazed the longer she stared at the two. "I'm a member of the Student Council. I can take you there."

"We tell this to no one," Pete pointed a finger with a mean glare.

"Course not," snickered Larry. "But I will hold this over your head for a while. Needing to ask directions like a woman…"

There was a loud sound coming from outside. They recognized it immediately for what it was.

"Eh!" Ruruko jumped on her heels as she was brought out of her daze.

Larry checked his watch, "Whoa. The fuck? Who ejaculated early?"

"One guess."

"Fucking Gabe."

"W-W-Who are you?" a very scared but defiant Ruruko took cautious steps away from them. "What are you doing on school grounds? And what do you want with Kaichou?"

"…Who?" Larry asked his brother.

"Fuck if I know," shrugged Pete. "I thought Devils could speak in any language. Must be a nickname or something."

 _"Ruruko!"_ a magic circle appeared at the girl's ear. A voice could be heard echoing through it. _"Get back to the Student Council room immediately. Kaichou's detected intruders."_

"Shinra-sempai," Ruruko was taking more steps away from the two. "I found them. They're here. They—"

Larry was in front of her before she could realize he had moved. Aura coursed through his body to accelerate his movements. His arm whipped around as Ol' Blue struck her with a loud twang to the side of her head.

 _"Ruruko?"_ the voice in the magic circle called out to her. _"Ruruko! What happened?! Ruruko!"_

The Pawn went down. Her eyes fluttered without focus as blood trickled down. She tried to say something. In the end, she lost consciousness and lay there slumped.

"Fuck…" Larry examined the aluminum bat. There was a new dent. "Should have put some Aura in that. Devils are pretty resilient."

"Hey, pretty smart there," Pete praised his brother. It was rare between the two. "They'll come to us this time. You gonna kill her now?"

"Well, duh," Larry spread his legs near Ruruko and bent over. He held the bat like a golf club as he tapped the side of her head to adjust his aim. "First hole at Kuoh Academy grounds. The weather is sunny with no wind. It's a par three and Larry chooses the Ol' Blue. A nice choice. The crowd goes quiet as he readies his swing…"

He twisted his body and brought the bat up. The air became electric as his channeled his Aura through his limbs and reinforced Ol' Blue to crack open her skull.

Pete pulled him back by his collar just as a streak of silver nearly decapitated him.

"Get away from her!" cried the Sitri Queen as she leapt out of a teleportation circle with two others behind her. The Bishop Momo and the Rook Tsubasa were in tow.

"Foul!" barked Larry as he caught his footing.

"I don't think that's how golf works," remarked Pete.

"Get her out of here," Tsubaki commanded. She raised her katana at the brothers. "You two. I don't know who you are but I won't forgive you for what you've done."

Pete and Larry exchanged looks… and then started to laugh.

"Look!" Pete pointed at the Queen and gasped for air. "She's using a _sword_! Oh God that's fucking hilarious!"

"Gee, I _wonder_ which of us is gonna deal with her," Larry finished. He walked around Pete, "I call dibs on the two behind her. Just saying…"

They split up and began to casually walk towards the group of Devils. Larry took the left side of the hallway, closest to Ruruko, and Pete took the far right.

With the speed rivaling a Knight, Tsubaki shot off the ground with a readied strike for Larry.

She was intercepted when Pete flickered and reappeared in front of her. Her strike was parried off the sleeve of his coat. A follow-up strike from his knee slammed into her chest and sent her reeling back. Tsubaki slid on her feet until she regained her balance.

"…Very durable," Pete rubbed his knee. "That would have killed anyone else."

"Told ya," commented Larry. "Hey, hey! That's mine! No touching!"

He yelled at Momo, who had reached Ruruko and was applying some emergency mending magic to check her condition and to stabilize her. She was about to teleport with Ruruko to the infirmary when Larry caught what she was attempting.

Larry put his hand against the wall. His eyes glowed behind his sunglasses enough to outline his face in shadow. The air was electrified as the lights hanging over their heads began to hum.

Bullets of light began to rain down on the Devils. Momo threw herself over the Pawn to shield her and raised a magic shield upon instinct. Tsubaki did the same. But Tsubasa gritted her teeth and put her arms over her head. The bullets of light bounced off of her flesh, but not without leaving their markings of bruises and burns.

Pete took a deep breath of air.

When he exhaled, he was in front of Tsubaki again and brought his fist forward. The Queen brought her sword up to block and found herself being pushed back yet again by an inhuman force. She nearly dropped her magic shield.

It didn't stop. Pete was at her again, bringing a combo of punches and kicks her way. His Aura reinforced his strength and speed to match hers as well as hardening his skin and clothes to withstand the edge of her blade. Tsubaki was skilled with the blade and had practiced every day— he could tell by the way she reacted to his attacks.

But there was a fine line between practice and experience. Tsubaki may have trained endlessly, but her exposure to live combat was minimal at best.

Pete's been in too many fights to count.

"What is this?" she snarled as she parried and brought her own combos. "Touki?"

"Nah, bitch," he cackled as he slapped her blade away. "I'm an Acolyte. We use Aura and my affinity is Blade."

Contrary to the name of the affinity, Pete didn't use any bladed instruments. It was a support affinity anyways. Those born with the Blade affinity simply had an increase to muscle memory, had a more clean channel of pathways for Aura to flow through their body, a body that could withstand denser reinforcements, and a nervous system that reacted quicker than any of their kind. It was named Blade after so many of his kind could pick up the sword and become masters in a tenth of the time.

Really, he didn't need a blade to kick ass. His fists were more than enough.

He could also read Tsubaki like a book. His eyes brightened as a peculiar eye technique had her reading the way her muscles forecasted her next movement. The way they coiled and flexed told him at what angle she would swing, if she would feint, and how much power was going to be put into it.

His only problem was getting used to her Devil body. He lied when he said he didn't read the manual Joshua left them. He knew all about the properties of a Queen. Their strength, their speed, their durability, and their mana reserves.

Fucking bullshit, that's what it was. An Acolyte was just as human as the next. They had to use their own powers to have them keep up with naturally augmented beings like this one.

"Go!" Tsubasa circled around the two of them while they clashed and charged at Larry. "Get out of here already! I'll draw him away!"

Pete didn't try to stop her. Larry _did_ call dibs after all.

"Doesn't work that way," the other brother muttered while he pulled out a laser pointer from his pocket. He flicked it on and his eyes brightened behind his shades.

It fired off like a gun. The device burst apart in his hands as soon as he clicked it on. He waved his hand around as some of it burnt his fingers.

"Tsubasa!" the Bishop and Queen screamed for her.

The Rook fell forward and slid on the ground, propelled by her own momentum. A trail of blood slicked the floor. She was wheezing, trying and failing to breathe as she coughed blood from a punctured lung. The laser had pierced cleanly through her.

Larry brought the back of his heel down on her head. "Don't matter if you're as tough as rocks, little Rook. I'm an Acolyte of the Light affinity and a pretty damn devout Christian—"

"Bullshit."

"Shut up, Petey. I'm the only one who goes to service with ma on holidays. Messing up the groove, man. Where was I…? Light is poisonous to you Devils, yeah? Your shit ain't gonna do jack shit against me."

"Get off of her!" shouted Tsubaki.

A pattern of magic circles appeared around her as she triggered them all without hesitation. A spray of magic bullets shot forward. There was no chance for them to dodge other than to break through the windows. But the brothers didn't do that. They leapt back while putting their arms up in defense. The bullets struck them hard with the intention to kill but did nothing more than bruise them.

"Fucking hell that hurts!" growled Larry when the assault stopped. He rubbed his forearm. "I thought you said you had her!"

"Fuck off," Pete spat back. " _You_ said I had her. But you know what? Fine. My bad. I forgot she can use magic too. I only read she was a blade expert."

Tsubaki twitched at this. Her eyes narrowed.

"So you _did_ read Joshy's report!" Larry accused. "Look at you, trying to trick me into thinking you was as dumb as bricks. Was else were you hiding from me?"

"Don't act like you weren't doing the same," Pete growled back as he pulled out the brass knuckles from his pocket. While he argued with his brother, his eyes were still focused on the Devils in front of him. "If I was going to kill you in the end for that gift card I know you were doing the same."

"The voucher to the shoe store? Fuck that. I was gonna kill you and take your points for that blue label. But, hey, we gotta finish this up. Joshy probably has the most amount of points already. We've taken too long with this."

"…For once, I agree with you."

The air became dense as they unleashed all of their Aura. It made the space in front of them unbreathable with how much of their power was let loose. Really, it was another one of their spats in private. Both brothers were trying to prove one of them had deeper reserves and more power to flex over the other.

Tsubaki only sensed a colossal threat incoming. She brought her hand forward and created a magic circle drawn with the Sitri family crest.

A water serpent came out of the center. Currents of water cycled around its body and compressed with more than enough force to crumble stone. It slithered through the air and came at the two brothers. It clamped down its liquid fangs on them as it consumed them.

The only thing visible through the current was their glowing eyes. Pete had a pair of steel gray eyes while Larry had a pale gold.

They were unfazed by the serpent and its body. The pressure should have batted them down the hall. But it was their wall of Aura that kept them standing. It allowed them to walk along the floor, unharmed by the Queen's attack.

Pete brought both his fists forward. His feet left two pocket craters on the tiled floor as a grand shockwave produced by his Aura split the liquid beast in half. The windows near them shattered and a wave of Aura was sent forward, tearing apart the ground and breaking the lights over them.

Tsubaki's magic circle broke and she gasped as his Aura extension struck her at her collar. She was sent tumbling back until she rolled onto her knees.

Her eyes widened as she saw Larry hold another laser pointer. His eyes glowed once more as he clicked the button aimed at her forehead.

…It only took a thought to turn the table.

It wasn't Tsubaki's head that was pierced. A small dot appeared on Larry's forehead. He stared forward even as the instrument broke apart in his hands after use. It took another second for his body to lose control and collapse forward.

The tall mirror that made up her Sacred Gear, the Mirror Alice, had faded away just as quickly as it had appeared. It fulfilled its duty, protected her, and returned the fire back to its instigator.

"…Fuck," Pete said as he put his hands to his side and looked down at his brother's corpse.

"Wow…" Momo was amazed. She was busy doing the same emergency healing to Tsubasa, who would turn out just fine. "That's the Fuku-Kaichou for you."

"Hanakai-san," the Queen instructed as she stood and readied her sword once again. "Finish your treatments and get going. There is still one… What are you…?!"

They were all petrified as Pete knelt down and tore out both eyes of his brother. His hand was a bloodied mess as the organs dangled loosely in his fingers.

They both turned green when they watched him put them in his mouth and swallow them whole. He shut his eyes while shaking his head, somewhat disgusted with what he had just done.

But then… his power spiked.

He stood, unleashing a new wave of Aura that was thicker than both brothers combined.

His eyes glowed brighter than ever. It was enough to make the shadows crawl away from him.

"Oh fuck yeah," a massive smile spread his lips wide. His eyes were dilated as though intoxicated. "That's almost as good as fucking. Hey, know what? We probably wasted _way_ too much time here. Probably not gonna win the basket. 'Specially since Manny's here too. You're eighteen, yeah? Yeah? Eh, close enough anyways."

"You're sick," Tsubaki snarled.

Momo couldn't move. She was too horrified to listen to orders. Her healing spell nearly fell apart by the horror she had just seen.

"What?" Pete spread his arms and shrugged. "He's dead. I'm not going to let him go to waste. Besides, the fucker would have done the same thing to me."

"Go, _now_!" barked Tsubaki once more. She leapt at Pete to stall time, to draw him away from the group, and to have them escape.

Pete came to her instead, meeting her before she could kick off the ground. His eyes were wide, drunk and mad with newfound power coursing through his veins. She could feel the electric pulse of his Aura radiating off of his skin by how close he was too her. She could even feel his heated breath.

Her face was cobbled by his left swipe. His fist felt like a hammer as her neck jerked to the side and a wad of blood was forcibly spat out of her lips. The blow was heavy enough to leave her reeling.

There was no mercy in his following combo. Aura twice as thick as before reinforced his limbs and hardened his fists and knees. His strikes were fast and hard. They outmatched her parameters of a Queen.

His last fist broke her nose and had her flat on her back. She groaned and spat out more blood out of her mouth to breathe. She tried to get up.

Pete landed his knee on her wrist to stop her from using her sword any further. And then he brought his fist down once more to keep her down.

"Phew!" he whistled while flicking his hand around. He smiled at the Bishop who hadn't moved. She really didn't get the chance and she wouldn't now. That beat-down had only been a few seconds long. " _Very_ durable. Broke one of my fingers. You Devils are really something."

"R-Run…" Tsubaki spat out.

He decked her once more.

"Stop!" shouted Momo. She brought her hands together and created a magic circle.

He sent a little jab in her direction. A pulse of Aura flew through the brass knuckles and struck her square on the face. The Bishop didn't have the durability of the Queen and took the full brunt of it. Her head slammed to the wall and she slumped down.

"That's four," Pete said as he looked at each Devil sprawled across the hallway. His eyes then snapped down at Tsubaki. "Three, anyways. Maybe two, depending on what happens after you."

He grabbed the collar of her blouse and tore it open, taking delight in the modest pair of tits. High school girls were a little too young for him. He was a grown man and they were half his age. But, hey, he was a little drunk on his brother's power. Mistakes might be made and habits might be picked up.

He heard something. The same low-pitch noise easily missed. It was the sound of a magic circle but none of the girls were using one.

"…Gen-kun?" Momo whispered.

Pete spun and swatted away the projectile heading towards him. Only, it stuck to his wrist and refused to be removed. It was a silken and sticky substance that tore through his layers of Aura. In fact, it was devouring his Aura as he realized this.

It was a long rope. Attached on the other end was some blonde kid in glassy black armor.

The same type of energy-based armor some of those Knights of the Round used.

A Knight of the Round? _Here?!_ How and why in the _fuck_ was a Knight of the Round here?!

"Get away from my friends!" he shouted and pulled on the string.

Pete resisted. His newfound strength should have enabled him to. But then the silk around his wrist began to darken. Black flames sprouted and began to dig into his nerves and crawl up his arm. Pain unlike any other invaded his mind as he was left screaming in agony.

Saji pulled harder and lifted Pete off the ground. He jerked the strings of the Absorption Line in such a way to have Pete slamming against the jagged edge of the broken windows and off the second story of the building. He cut the line… but not the cursed flames of Vritra that would inevitably consume him whole.

"Gen-kun," delight came out of Momo's voice. "You're alive. You're back."

He couldn't meet her gaze as he put one foot on the windowsill. "Make sure everyone makes it out okay. I'm sorry I wasn't here…"

He said nothing else nor would he listen for her plea to come back. He leapt out the window to join the battle happening outside.

*Scene*

"Koneko! To the right!" shouted Yuuto.

She dodge another spray of concrete spears headed her way. She was nimble for a Rook ever since looking into the potential of her heritage. The power of a Nekoshou still frightened her, but right now she couldn't afford to be doubtful. This wasn't a training exercise. An enemy had shown up with the full intent to kill them and she needed to be at her best.

With the strength of a Rook and the enhancements of senjutsu, she caught one of the spears and returned it to its sender.

"Fuck!" cursed the Earth Acolyte named Ruben. His hand was up and turned the spear into dust before it could impale him. He was rendered into a coughing fit as some of it clogged the back of his throat.

"Ruben you fuck!" cried the Shade Accuser named Martin. He had been very adamant about the difference between an Acolyte and an Accuser. Only, the two Devils plus the fairy weapon didn't get it. "She's mine! And you almost hit me!"

"Fuck you!" Ruben shouted back after using his ability to clean his throat of all earthly dust particles. "I've got kids and I'm poor as fuck! I'm taking the family to Disneyland!"

Excalibur gave an audible gasp. Her eyes began to sparkle, "Papa! Cali-chan wants to go to Disneyland! They have one in Tokyo, don't they?"

"…After we've dealt with them," Yuuto promised only to keep her focused.

"Yes!" Excalibur pumped her fist into the air and found a new reason to give it her all.

…By unleashing a beam of white energy that incinerated their surroundings from her hands. The brothers scattered by means of their unusual abilities. All the trees in front of Excalibur were cleared out as the field was rendered to ash.

"Stop moving!" shouted the loli legendary sword. "Cali-chan wants to go to the happiest place on Earth!"

"So do I!" shouted Ruben from where he reappeared… and then instantly vanishing as soon as a barrage of light bombs detonated where he once squatted.

"That's what this is about?" Koneko's stare was blunt. "Points? A trophy basket? _Disneyland_?"

"It's nothing more than petty revenge," Yuuto shook his head with a displeased frown. "They've come to assassinate us since they can't get to Ise-kun."

"Not even," Martin called out as his body slunk out of the shadows. "What Tubs did was his own fault. He lost fair and square from what I heard."

"Still…" Ruben reappeared and paused to see if Excalibur was going to blast him again. When she didn't, he continued, "The fat ass was our brother. Have to mourn for him and all that. His death brought us all together in something of a family reunion. I haven't seen this jackass since high school."

He pointed to Martin.

"We're only here to catch up with each other," shrugged Martin. "You know, have some laughs, share a few drinks, and play some games."

"You mean kill us," remarked Yuuto.

"Play some games," repeated Martin with another shrug.

"…You're all demented," commented Koneko. "You really are related to the Vampire."

Both brother shrugged in perfect unison.

The battle continued when Excalibur took it as a cue to send another blast of light their way. Alas, they got away with another flickering trick.

The ground quaked under them, but they had seen this trick more than enough times to be prepared. The first time caught them off guard and nearly made them lose their balance. But as this was the fifth time, all it did was jar them slightly. Still, it kept them from moving as they had to maintain a firm footing else stumble around.

It was this tactic Martin used to crawl out of the smallest of cracks in the form of a shadow. He snuck behind Koneko and raised a black claw to strike her down.

It was another trick they had seen him do before.

Koneko brought herself down low and swept her leg, all without losing her balance. The mystic energies of her senjutsu coated her leg as she brought it around. Shadow or not, she struck something hard enough to hear something break.

Martin was launched like a physical object to the side. The shadows came apart and his body was made whole once more. His face was searing with pain as his arms was wrapped around his side, clutching at the spot Koneko had kicked.

Before he could turn back into a shadow, Yuuto was there upon him. Excalibur, in her sword form, was in his hands. His eyes were sharpened to befit his status as an Ultimate Killer, all without drinking in the voices of the World or reaching for its authority.

Regardless if he turned into a shadow, Yuuto brought Excalibur down with its edge glowing in its unique holy light. There was no resistance as Martin was sliced cleanly down the middle.

It had been only the briefest of instances. By the time Yuuto finished his swing, Excalibur was back in her humanoid body. Martin's body had yet to apply physical law in his momentum.

His body came apart by the time he hit the ground. His mouth hung open with his eyes staring up at the open sky.

"M-Martin…?" Ruben looked aghast at the sight. "Hey, hey! No one said she could turn into a weapon whenever she wanted!"

"Did you think we'd fall so easily?" Yuuto turned and spat with venom. "You came here thinking we'd be easy targets because the Dragoon Predator isn't with us? You couldn't be any more wrong. We've been training to fight forces significantly more threatening than you."

"…Fuck," Ruben cursed as he rubbed the bottom of his jaw. "Well, shit man. Guess I gotta step my game up then."

Aura pulsed out onto the ashen field, crushing rock and blowing dust everywhere. It electrified the air and smothered them like a lead blanket. The weight crashed down on their shoulders and the pressure stiffened their bodies. It would take a bit of their Devilry for them to operate normally.

But they also gathered something like this wasn't a permanent setting. No, this was more like a flexing of the body before an initial strike. One could not hold this position forever. It was something between a warning for something more dangerous… or showboating.

It was the former, in this case.

All of the Aura spread out had retracted and compressed. Ruben put his hand to his face and that's where all the Aura gathered. It cycled around him like a drain calling everything into a pipe. As the Aura compressed, it began to take shape and reflect a brownish color— the same color as his eyes.

A metaphysical mask had been made and covered his face. It was as glossy as chromed metal yet as easily agitated as mist. Ruben's fingers slid through it as he pulled his hand away.

"Koneko!" Yuuto shouted. "Get back!"

She didn't need the warning as her own instincts went into overdrive. The earth came alive under her feet, turning into sand with a gaping mouth and fangs. It snapped at her and nearly tore off her leg hadn't she leapt away quick enough. Massive claws chased after her and she sent a spike of touki to push herself away and to slap at it.

A dragon of concrete and granite crawled out of the ground. It let loose a roar as it spread its wings out and blew a desert storm their way.

Ruben stood on its back, his arms spread out and fingers twitching. He was controlling the earthly dragon with his abilities liken to a puppet. It obeyed his commands with a fluid grace as though it were a living, organic creature and not a construct of stone.

"Ooo!" awed Excalibur. "Cali-chan hasn't fought a dragon since…"

She began to count with her fingers.

Yuuto grabbed her before she could finish, scooping her up in his arms and dashing away with his Knight's speed.

The dragon had brought its hand down like a hammer. The earth shook under it and sprouted pikes around the impact in a ripple effect. Some trailed after Yuuto, who had to increase his speed to get avoid getting impaled.

Koneko was the one moving to assault. She was ignoring the dragon and leaping up its hide for Ruben. It was obvious fighting the construct would do little to nothing. It would be better to go after the instigator.

Her foot sank into the dragon's hide as soon as Ruben spotted her. She managed to break herself free with her immense strength and keep charging forward. He caught her again, and this time he commanded the earth to become chains to restrict her.

She still managed to break free after a moment to collect her strength. This time, she gathered touki to her feet and made sure nothing would be able to catch her footing.

She leapt high, flipping over to avoid the elongated spears sprouting off of the dragon's hide. She managed to kick off of one and propel herself forward, straight at Ruben.

Something caught her still. Chains of stone restricted her. But these chains hadn't come from the ground nor from the dragon.

They had come from the air itself. Ruben had done something with his ability, something impossible. He had transmuted the air molecules into solid stone simply by looking at them. His Aura coursed through them, reinforcing them to withstand her incredible strength.

"…I got nothing," he said with a shrug and a look of apology. He had nothing witty to say at this moment.

The chains restraining her grew spikes. They impaled her from every angle. She didn't get the chance to scream. All that game out was a gargle of blood.

With a flick of his hand, Ruben commanded the chains to throw her aside.

Yuuto managed to cross the field to catch her even when they were on opposite ends. He gripped her tightly while gritting his teeth. She was bleeding badly.

Ruben commanded his dragon to turn and assault Yuuto.

A massive serpent made of water crashed into its side and sank its teeth into the hide. As though a living creature, the earth dragon let loose a howl of outrage and pain. It whipped its tail around to swipe at the attacker, only for it to reform and keep at its attack.

"What now?!" Ruben nearly lost his footing as his dragon raged against the liquid serpent.

Sona stood at the end of the field, one hand raised with a magic circle spinning. She was the one who crafted the spell with her family magic. Her eyes were narrowed with cold ferocity.

"…How dare you attack students on school grounds," she said in a low voice.

She raised her other hand. A matching circle appeared at her palm.

And another water serpent gushed out to join its counterpart in tearing the earthly dragon's limbs.

"Kiba!" Asia came out of the forest. She gasped with shock as she saw Koneko's condition. "Oh no! Koneko! She's hurt badly!"

There was no hesitation as she immediately applied her Twilight Healing to Koneko. The wounds were closing and any impurities were being removed. She will be able to make it.

"Kusuka-san! Meguri-san! Reinstate the school defenses!" Sona commanded as she kept her focus locked on her spellwork. "Make sure no other student falls to harm."

"Yes, Kaichou!" both Bishop and Knight of the Sitri Peerage ran off to fulfill their orders.

"Fuck off already!" snarled Ruben as he slashed his arm across the field.

The ground shook again as spikes and pillars of earth surfaced. They impaled the serpents as they formed, disrupting their currents, and making the entire spell fall apart. His earthly dragon roared and swiped its claw across the air. The pillars that formed erupted and launched shrapnel towards Sona.

The Sitri Heiress created a dense magic shield to protect her in an instance. Nothing reached her.

"Asia-chan," Yuuto spoke softly. "Take care of Koneko. Make sure she doesn't die. I need to apologize to her. And to all of you for hiding it."

"K-Kiba?" Asia blinked at him but continued treating Koneko.

"Papa?" Excalibur manifested at his side. She looked up at him with her large eyes. She was questioning him.

He put a hand on her head and gave it a loving pat. There was a sad look in his eyes even as he smiled on her. The smile turned grim as he made up his mind.

"I shouldn't have kept it a secret," he said. "What kind of Knight am I when I keep secrets from my master and can't fully protect my friends? What would Ise-kun do in my situation, I wonder?"

He wasn't expecting an answer from her. He gripped around her hilt as soon as he willed her into a sword. This was Excalibur in its default setting. He could use his Sword Birth and the new Blade Blacksmith through her if he wanted.

But that's not what he wanted.

"…Balance-Breaker."

[Sword Birth: Betrayer Hilt of Absolute Victory!]

They all felt it instantly. There was no shift in power, no spike in his Devilry, nothing disturbed the air. But it was there. The feeling that reached down to the deepest pits of their cores and triggered their most primal of survival instincts.

 **"Do you know who we are?"** Yuuto asked in a voice fueled by the essence of the World.

Ruben's head snapped towards him with his eyes widening with absolute fear. He flinched when his eyes met Yuuto's.

"…Kiba?" Asia spoke in the softest of voices.

He raised the invisible hilt of Excalibur's Balance Breaker towards his prey. Yes, prey. He was no longer an annoyance. He was a viable threat to his King and to her servants. As a loyal Knight, it was his duty to protect her and everything belonging to her.

 **"We are Eighth Predator, the Siege Perilous."**

"Fuck balls and sideways," Ruben's mask started to twitch as he nearly lost control over his own powers. "I heard but… fuck! That's fucking frightening as fuck! Fuck this!"

He sunk into the dragon, hoping to escape from the Predator and use it as a shield.

Yuuto's eyes narrowed as he gripped the hilt with both hands and brought his arm down. A small cut had slit into his fingers— a significant improvement from the gashing wounds he had created when first using this ability. It was yet perfect, but he was nearing its technique.

The dragon let loose a final cry as it was sliced cleanly in half. The ability that made it into what it was began to unravel. Concrete and sand started to collapse.

But it wasn't Ruben who was hidden within.

"Surprise!" Josh shouted and shot his hands forward.

A spray of rail pellets from the remains of the dragon were fired forward, propelled by the properties of his own affinity.

*Scene*

"In hindsight…" Ruben fell on his ass, panting. His mask crumbled apart. "I probably shouldn't have switched places with Joshy."

"So that's where he ran off to," Rias bit her lips. "Akeno, I'll leave this one to you. I'm going after him!"

"Be careful," the Queen couldn't help but utter. It was unneeded advice as the Magnetic Acolyte had been able to push them to their edge the entire time. All without him breaking a sweat and leaving nothing short of a few scratches on his body.

Rias took off to the skies in pursuit.

"Any last words?" Akeno returned to the other brother. Her eyes were cold and unforgiving. She didn't have her usual smile for this one. She wasn't even in the mood to torture him. Nothing would settle her than a quick death. She wanted nothing more to do with these monsters.

"I could resist…" Ruben looked up at her. He was the first, and probably only brother she met, who met her eyes and not at her breasts. "But I think I'm too tired. Used too much Aura making my mask. Besides, I don't have the will to fight you anymore. Kinda tempted to now that the pregnant girl is gone— don't wanna kill an unborn. Got kids of my own and whatnot. But, yeah, too tired. Last words? Can you say something cool before you finish me off?"

Akeno paused as she thought over his words. "…And here I thought I was just being nosy. Rias really is pregnant with Ise's child, isn't she?"

Ruben shrugged. "Can't tell anything about the father. But I sensed she was. It's an Acolyte thing. You can kinda sense the condition of your opponent, look for weaknesses and all that."

"I see… So that's what _that man_ meant."

"Tubs' friend?" Ruben asked. He snapped his finger a few times as he tried to remember. "What was his name…? Oh, Chase—"

It was what triggered Akeno to send a burst of lightning through his skull. His body jerked around as the electricity scorched his insides, ruptured his organs, and frayed his nerves. She had went out of her way to avoid even thinking about _that_ name. And this brother had gone and did what she wanted to ignore.

She didn't get to say anything cool as was his last request. Oh well. It's not like monsters like these deserved such a kindness.

Akeno took a deep breath. Her body felt tired and sore after the short brawl with Josh. It hurt worse than the first day of training against Sairoarg.

This was real combat. This was what Rias had wanted them prepared for. They were to defend themselves when Issei was away or to assist him and keep up. They were still far from their goal, but this was their trial.

She only needed the breath to recollect her will and ease the tension in her muscles. Her body didn't want to be induced to anymore pain. But what body wouldn't?

She called for her wings and went after Rias, ready for another bout against the Magnetic Acolyte.

*Scene*

"Madame Serene!" Xenovia cried out.

"Get back!" Amelia barked at the two former Exorcists. Her Creyroux clashed against the blade of light of Claudia. "Go and support the Gremory Peerage! I cannot protect you from this one!"

"You should listen to what she says," Claudia, the Living Saint of Vice, sang in a cheerful voice. But it was betrayed by the maddened outrageous expression of wrath as all her focus was on Amelia. "You'll only get in my way! Your time will come after I cleanse the world of this blasphemer!"

Claudia kicked Amelia away and threw more daggers at her. Amelia swatted what she could away and dodged the rest, resorting to tucking her shoulders to the dirt and rolling out of the way.

"Inquisitor Vice!" Irina called out. "Stop! You shouldn't be after Madame Serene! You should be with the Church, defending them against Predator Rolan! If there's anyone who can stop him, its' you!"

"This is heresy," Xenovia snarled. "You assault the lair of the Dragoon Predator and the sister of a Satan with the company of pagans? Tell me the justice in that!"

"What mundane concerns," Claudia leered and brought her hand up to brush them aside. "The Church is no more. Heaven is nothing more than a lie. I have been in the presence of a true Angel of the Lord. I have been blessed with his touch. I do God's work and his messenger has commanded me to lay waist to the Divine Beast. All is forgiven if I must alienate her with the company of Acolytes."

"You speak of a madman," Amelia's brows furrowed. The act spoke volumes when it broke her tranquil expression. "He is no Angel. He is a monster who will bring about the end of all things!"

"He only wants to go home," Claudia said with a sad tone in her voice. Her face fell slightly as if touched by grief. "But you are selfish, sister. You only care about yourself. I've given my soul to the Lord! What do I care about mortal affairs when I am fulfilling something greater?!"

A dagger sprung out of her sleeve. She gripped it tightly around her fingers and then plunged it into her thigh. Blood gushed out as she gave it a twist.

"You're insane," Xenovia swore. "You speak of God? Inquisitor Vice, do you not know? I have seen the truth of the world. I have seen the battle between the Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father. I have seen the Evensong. God… God is dead! You fight for nothing!"

Xenovia winced and gripped the side of her head. It was the Vampire who invaded her mind and implanted the memories of both entities he had consumed. She saw through the eyes of the Incarnation of the Planet and the Incarnation of the Heavens. She saw when the Earth Mother ate the Heavenly Father after He had saved the world from the impossible threat.

"I've always known, dear," Claudia pulled the dagger out and wagged it towards the bluenette. The wound on her thigh was gone, having been transferred into a black orb at the tip of her blade. "Ever since I became a Living Saint, I knew. Honestly, what kind of fuck up would let _me_ be a Voice of God?"

"You've always known…?" Irina's voice cracked. "You've kept it from us all along? It wasn't just Saint Virtue or Madam Serene? You all knew, didn't you? And yet… I was excommunicated for knowing…"

"…Shidou, was it?" Claudia tilted her head with a thoughtful expression. "Yes, I remember you now. You were a candidate for one of the Excalibur Fragments. Too bad. You had promise. If you still believe in all that hoopla, I can remove that seal Virtue put on you. You'll get to pray. Be a good girl and I'll even introduce you to my Angel.

"All you have to do is stay out of my way."

"…No," Irina protested. "No, I will not abandon Madame Serene! Ise-kun cares about her and you're hurting all of his friends! They're my friends too! I won't let you hurt any of them!"

"Well said," nodded Xenovia with a mirthful grin. "Imagine that. There's a special place for people like us, Irina. We just called Devils our friends."

"A very special place," it was Claudia who agreed with a disappointed frown. It didn't match the excited glint in her eyes, however.

Amelia was at her again, bathing Creyroux with a black shroud of sin.

"Pneumonia?" questioned Claudia as her eyes traced the sin trying to latch onto her. "Have we reached the Ps already? You really are just going down the list, aren't you?"

Just like any other attempt, the Mark branded on her forehead glittered and returned the sin back at Amelia, who quickly repelled it with her Creyroux. It was an endless exchange that wasn't going anywhere. She really was going down a mental list of every type of sin she had collected over the years. So far none of them had worked.

But this Mark was different from the one branded on Adams McCain. Adams' would have attacked her even before she could begin her assault. The one on Claudia was weaker… to a certain degree. It still redelivered any harm to its host back to the assailant threefold. But it needed to make direct contact with that harm first.

Had she been a normal person, Claudia would have been dead. But she was a Living Saint, and one with the name of Vice. She held a unique type of Miracles that was almost parallel to Amelia's Transfer of Sin. It removed all things that was wrong and could redirect it elsewhere. But she couldn't contain or control the conditions like Amelia.

Given the Mark of Cain, she was a sponge of pain and injury who could return it without harm to herself. So, really, it wasn't the same harm at threefold. It was almost at tenfold.

She was Amelia's bane.

But… they were at a stalemate at the same time. All they could do was swap sin and make them stronger with each passing. Creyroux also had the ability to enhance sin threefold. With each blow received, they were only making Creyroux stronger. Every sin flung around was growing blacker and more corrupt.

They were getting nowhere. And yet… Claudia continued to add weight to the sin. Even now she inflicted damage to herself, only to draw it back and toss it towards Amelia, who would then return it, have it sent back to Amelia, and so on.

It was the darkest game of volley.

"Come on, sister," whined Claudia. "You can do better than that! Where was all that gusto, _Divine Beast_? I thought you were going to kill me. And you lowly beings dare to call yourselves _Predators._ You know not what true power is like."

"That's enough!" shouted Xenovia. She extended her arm outwards.

A portal of gold opened as she dipped her hand through it. Holy light brightened the scenery as she pulled a hilt wrapped in chains. With another tug, the chains broke apart and she drew out the gold and blue broadsword.

It was Durandal. The Sword of Miracles.

"Inquisitor or not, do not think that title will allow you to do as you please!" Xenovia shouted as she lifted the blade. The holy radiance from within the portal continued to cycle around the edge. "I recognize that Mark! It is the Mark of a sinner!"

Claudia frowned. Her face warped into pure disgust.

"Xenovia, stop!" shouted Amelia.

Xenovia didn't listen. She knew the scripture and knew what the Mark implied. All of those who would seek harm into the bearer shall have the same harm brought back threefold. It was the Mark of the first murderer, Cain. She recognized it for she knew the Heavenly Father had branded it on the child's brow those eons ago.

And with the blade blessed with the Miracles of God, it would be able to ignore the protections and pierce through to Claudia. For it was God Himself and his messengers who killed Cain in the end, crushing him and his family in his house while he slept.

But this Mark and that one were different. She did not know the difference. She did not know the Mark branded on Claudia came from an Outsider, one who does not belong in this realm.

When she brought Durandal down, when she unleashed a wave of holy light that tore apart the ground as it traveled to Claudia…

Inquisitor Vice, indeed, received a deep gash running from her shoulder, down her chest, through her groin, and out of her thigh. But Xenovia…?

Xenovia screamed as a pillar of light consumed her. It tore apart her flesh and reached as deep as bone.

Creyroux was shimmering red as it drank in the wrong and harm inflicted back onto Xenovia. The former Exorcist collapsed to the ground even as all her wounds were extracted by Amelia. Durandal was planted to the ground as she used it as a crutch to remain on her knees. She was gasping as the phantom pain of having her flesh torn asunder echoed throughout her being.

"Children," muttered Claudia as she held the wad of sin pulled out of her chest. "This new generation is so crass. Always jumping in as soon as their elders say no. There's no discipline these days."

"Irina," Amelia placed herself in front of the two and raised her once-silver blade up in defense. "Get her out of here. Your friends, as you call them, are in trouble. It's best to support them. I can take care of myself."

"…Y-Yes…" Irina agreed. She pulled on Xenovia and half-dragged her out of the area.

"How did you get that Mark?" Amelia demanded.

Claudia gave her a sarcastic look.

"He died," Amelia snapped back. "I was there. It was Chase who vanquished him."

"Oh yes, I heard," Claudia's smile stretched. "My Angel told me all about it. About how you fell against the Ziz. But you weren't there when your boyfriend challenged McCain, were you? No, you were _dead._ Who was it that told you my Angel was dead?"

Amelia didn't blink. Her expression never shifted as she stared at her older sister.

"What makes you think something of this world could kill of something of a greater power?" laughed Claudia. "These… Originals? The Abyss? They're _nothing_ when compared to the might of my Angel and the _real_ God. Oh dear, you don't know what I'm talking about, do you? It doesn't matter, I suppose. You're going to die anyways."

"…Chase," she whispered below her breath.

Claudia raised a brow as she watched her younger sister reach up to her face… and rip out her right eye. She did not even try to remedy the infliction. She merely tossed the organ to the side. It thudded into a flowerbed.

Claudia didn't understand. Naturally. It was an Acolyte thing. And a Predator thing, in a sense. Chase would come if it was her calling to him. He would find her eye. And he would learn of the truth.

He would learn Adams McCain was still alive.

God, she must be desperate if she was relying on _him_ to find a solution.

"What's all this?" questioned Claudia.

 **"Do you know who I am?"** Amelia countered.

Claudia gave her a blunt stare. "Not this again, sister. I do not fear you, _Predator._ Nothing you do will—"

Her voice was trapped in her throat. Amelia took a different stance. She did not hold Creyroux as one would wield a sword. She gripped it as one would wield a staff. One hand rested against the hilt while the other bled as it wrapped around the blade.

The blade came alive and turned a deep red. It hummed and soon began to sing. It began wailing a chorus of every sin it had ever consumed. Every sin imaginable and those Claudia could not perceive was called upon by the blade. The world became a darker place as the light fled from its presence.

Everything about the blade turned black but more sin continued to surface. It extended the blade as layer upon layer of all the world's evil was recalled.

It became less like a sword… and more like a spear.

"What are you doing?!" Claudia shouted in outrage. "No! Don't you dare take this away from me! I said I was going to kill you! Do not take what is mine!"

She recognized it for what it was. Creyroux, the Blood Stained White Rose, had transformed into something it was never meant to be. It was once the Sword of God, dropped onto the realm of humanity to accumulate sin and one day be used to slay the Earth Mother at the Evensong. But that time never came. Not because a new threat immerged, no.

It was because the blade was used against the Heavenly Host. All the sins of the world were consumed in its strike to vanquish the holiest of vessels.

 **"I am Amelia Rosewood!"** Amelia roared with as much emotion as she could muster. **"I am Third Predator, the Divine Beast!"**

"It will not work!" Claudia roared back. "You use an instrument that killed a false god! It will do nothing against the likes of a true God!"

"You underestimate something, sister," Amelia glared at her sister. Her voice was as tranquil as was once her Saintly name. There was a small curve in her lips. A smile? A frown? Perhaps something of both. But the look of sorrow and regret could not be missed in her eyes.

"You don't understand how much I love my daughter. Nor what I'm willing to sacrifice for her."

The Mark glowed as it sensed the presence of an oncoming threat. Claudia did not move from her position. She only snarled at something she had no way of dodging nor of stopping.

 **"Dolorous Stroke!"** cried Amelia.

The black spear was thrusted forward. It slammed into an invisible shield made by the Mark. Innumerable amounts of sin buffed against it and was redirected back at Amelia. Instantly, her skin was ripped apart, exposing her innards. But still she pushed forward, forcing Creyroux to drink in the sin rebounding onto her and making it blacker.

It was a vicious cycle. And perhaps something endless. More than just her skin flew off. Her body erupted as massive chunks was torn off. Just as quickly as the harm came to her, it was devoured by Creyroux and fed to fuel its thrust. It would not stop until its target was destroyed.

Amelia was rendered into a skeleton more times than she could count. Even then, as the attempt dragged on, she was losing more and more of herself.

Her own soul was being chipped away. She could feel it being inflicted by the Mark as her sin had nothing left to harm.

The eyeball she had dropped for Chase was destroyed. A part of her felt foolish at thinking it could survive if not attached to her body. But that feeling quickly vanished as another part of her soul was destroyed.

Claudia could only stand there with the eyes of contempt. Amelia could feel the amount of hate this woman had for her.

…But, who was she? Who was this woman?

And for that matter, why was she using the technique that branded her as a Predator? She could not find the answer. She could not remember what she was doing this for. But she… felt, yes, felt she had to. There was a reason, surely.

She just couldn't remember.

The exchanged lasted until something could no longer withstand the other.

Claudia was thrown off her feet as the Mark on her brow burst into a colorful spray of mist.

But, at the same time, the Dolorous Stroke had lost its fuel.

All that remained was a pure white sword. The hilt was white, the guard was white, and the blade was white. It was immaculate and pristine. It was untouched by anything wicked or wrong.

It was empty, completely clean of sin.

A hairline crack appeared on its side. Something so small and yet the worst amount of wrong that stained this blade.

Without warning, it crumbled apart and became dust.

"Sister… you damn fool," Claudia walked over the remains of Creyroux. It was destroyed. Forever. Something akin to sorrow filled her voice. "You gave up everything… for your daughter?"

She remained there by herself. There were no remains of Amelia Rosewood. Absolutely nothing remained of her. Both body and soul had been eradicated, traded to break the blessing Claudia had been given.

*Scene*

Koneko sat up straight as soon as Asia gave her the clear.

"Thanks," the tiny Rook's tone was blunt as usual but her words were sincere. She'd have been dead or crippled if Asia's Twilight Healing wasn't so efficient in its work. Common healing magic would have left scars at best and her immobile for the rest of her life at worst. Or dead, there was that.

"Please be careful," the Bishop begged with the best intentions.

Those eyes… there was no wonder why the pervert always was gooey around her. Even Koneko couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt when looking at Asia's large eyes.

"No promises," she said anyways. It wasn't that she was reckless… granted she did rely heavily and her durability as a Rook. But it was more so she understood this wasn't training or a Rating Game. This wasn't another one of Rias' drills. This was a full-on exercise just like when they went to retrieve Yuuto in the cathedral.

And speaking of Yuuto…

The Knight brought the hollowed hilt of Excalibur around in another flourish of swings. His eyes were hardened, almost crazed, riding between a dangerous line of a hunter and a prowler.

"Woop!"

Josh dipped his shoulders and twisted his body to avoid the invisible slashes coming his way. The air parted as Excalibur cleaved everything in front of it in half. Space itself ruptured, creating a hairline pocket with reality imploding to seal the gap. Even small cuts like that created large gashes of destruction as everything around it had to be pulled in.

But not Josh. He had been able to ignore the rules of reality. He had been able to avoid any of Yuuto's attacks despite being guided by the World. Yuuto's instincts told him where exactly Josh would be, where to strike, when was the precise moment to maximize the damage, and when to switch over to defense. By following the whispers of the World, Yuuto would have killed Josh twenty-three times within the past thirty seconds.

[Cali-chan is confused!] said Excalibur through the hollowed hilt. [Papa, why isn't it working?]

"I don't know," Yuuto growled and closed in the space between them. He accelerated forward, bringing Excalibur around close enough for the brother to be unable to dodge.

"Well of course it's not gonna work," Josh said with a broad smile. As Yuuto approached, the Acolyte of Magnetism pulled himself away. He wouldn't dare to get close. "I'm not surprised about any of this. We've been watching you guys since you lofted off our brother. We know everything about you. We knew you were a Predator and I happen to know a few tricks to get under your perks."

His body flickered as soon as a tree was chucked his way like a spear courtesy of Koneko. He reappeared several meters away, far out of reach from the group.

He cocked his head up at the last instance as a blast from Rias flying high above his vision hammered down on him just like the first time he slipped.

"I don't care how much you've prepared," Rias' voice echoed to reach him. "Don't think we're going to die off so easily. All your brothers are dead. There's just you left and there's all of us."

"Yeah… about that," Josh waved a hand. A pulse of Aura batted away the dust. Her attack had done nothing more than ruffle his clothes. "Our oldest is still around here… somewhere. Fuck knows what he's up to. And, ugh, there's still fucking Gabe… Yeah, alright, with him in the picture there's not much hope."

He rubbed the back of his neck with his head bowed. It would have looked like he was ready to face justice if he didn't have the large grin on his face.

The air became heavy and thick enough to call it liquid steel. Josh's power transcended anything compared to his brothers as it consumed the area around them. It made their shoulders shake and backs bend. Their skin felt like it was on fire as the electricity poured out of his body.

He moved the hand rubbing his neck to the front of his face.

"I've already seen that trick," Yuuto said. He was there as soon as Josh started to move. His Knight speed pushed him forward with Excalibur ready for another strike.

"Surprise!" Josh's smile broadened as he flicked his wrist.

Coins sprang out of his sleeve. They broke apart into dust by another pulse of his Aura and were launched at blinding speeds with his Magnetic affinity.

Quarters and half-dollars were not magnetic. They should not have been propelled by his ability. And yet they were launched like superheated shrapnel at close proximity.

Yuuto's eyes widened as he ducked his body at the last second. He could not stop his momentum and thus rolled and slid along the ground. None of the attack had managed to get him.

But the shrapnel was heading towards his friends, towards Asia and Koneko.

A series of magic circles sprang in front of them. One he recognized belonging to his master. Another belonging to Akeno, who had joined the battle in the nick of time. And the last one came from Sona on the other side of the field.

Before Yuuto could recover and begin another bout, Josh was far away from him and spraying another trail of coins his way. Yuuto kicked off the ground and bolted to the side. Shrapnel tore apart the trees he wove between, cutting them down as more coins were pulled out of his sleeves and turned into rail bullets.

Water, spears of light, and raw destruction rained down on Josh. The Acolyte dodged them with his unique abilities.

It was Koneko who had managed to reach him when he leapt out of the storm.

"So it's that version of the dream…" she heard him mutter before decking him across the face. His head was as hard as steel and her knuckles ached. But it felt amazing when he flew backwards and crashed onto the side of the old school building.

There was an imprint that he had to climb out of. He smiled and wiped the bit of blood running down his lip. "Thanks, kitten. Wasn't sure which dream it was 'til you showed up. Definitely know what to do next. Humph!"

His body flickered again as Yuuto was there to cut into him. His strike had missed even as it tore down the wall in a wide berth. He had hoped extending the area would have captured him when he tried to flee.

But it did not work. Josh stood at the top of the old school building with his arm extended over his head. There was the sound of a whistle in the distance before a streak of silver came flying towards him. A metal bat landed in his grip.

"What's that?" he brought it close to his ear and leaned in. "No shit Pete's dead. Huh? Knight of the Round? The fuck they doing here? Dragon Slayer's supposed to be in China. Well, fuck me sideways. I better finish this and get out of here before he shows up."

The bat jerked and pulled on his body. It flew through the air and zipped away, dragging him along for the ride. It traveled faster than when he used his acceleration technique. How convenient it was when he narrowly dodged the combined assault of the Devils.

They took to the air after him. Yuuto was there to lead the assault, bringing Excalibur around to swipe at him. But the invisible blade _somehow_ missed when all Josh did was switch hands on the bat. Sona's water serpent chased after him, cycling around and trying to snap at him with its jaws. A barrage of fire, wind, and ice was conducted by Akeno in an almost random pattern to catch him in a trap. But neither of those worked as he found a gap and sailed through untouched.

It was Rias' attack that was the most unrelenting. The Power of Destruction charged after him like a starved beast. The black and crimson demonic energy flew through the air, its shape jagged and arcing like lightning. Wherever he flew to, the spell pursued viciously.

Josh climbed higher and higher, shaking off their attacks or needing to use the bat to swat others away. But never would he dare to get close to the power of destruction. It was the only thing that had managed to damage him, if not by a small margin. Still, it was something truly ravenous as it hungered for him. It would sink its metaphysical teeth into his skin and refuse to let go until he was whole consumed. Only the thick layers of his Aura had prevented it from doing such before needing to shed it off and weave a new layer of protections.

He climbed high up into the sky until he was nothing more than a dot. He had ascended beyond their limits. The air was freezing and thin. He would not be able to last long in these conditions. And yet he continued to ascend simply to escape the Power of Destruction continuing to pursue him.

It would never stop.

"And here's where the dream ends," he said. "The other one begins here too."

A mask appeared on his face, all without needing to put his hand up or to call on the full might of his Aura.

He brought he bat down on the pursuing discharge of malevolent energy. It cracked against what could have been called the head if it was a living creature. The attack did its job. The spell was launched back to the ground like a rocket reentering orbit.

The impact from the spell left a large crater with shrapnel flying everywhere. The Devils each had their own layer of defense to protect their selves.

"And here I thought you were nothing but tits and ass."

It took no time at all for Josh to return to the surface. He was there in a blink, hovering right above the crater he had created in his counter. He tapped Ol' Blue against his shoulder.

"Sure, against your brother it wouldn't have made him go all Super. But, hey, he's a Devil and I'm human. Things are different. Still, making me use my conceptual abilities? That's some pretty hot stuff. Kudos to you."

Yuuto swung at his back while he was distracted. It was a dishonorable tactic but he ignored his own honor in favor of his King's safety.

Excalibur stopped short before the invisible blade could reach Josh.

The Acolyte wagged a finger and clicked his tongue a few times. "Yeah, see, I knew you were going to do that. The dream went two ways. I either stop you like I'm doing now or you managed to kill me. So I dug into it. I reviewed your fight against Kokabiel down to that last detail. Your little Balance Breaker? It only works on the natural Laws of the World. Can't do shit against things that _defy_ the World. Like the conceptual ability of a Level Five Acolyte of the Magnetic affinity."

With nothing more than a twitch of his fingers, Yuuto was flung backwards. His body crashed through a series of trees and continued to travel.

"Kiba!" shouted Rias.

" _Predators,_ " Josh snickered. "What a joke. Think they're all hot shit just 'cause they have a shiny badge of office. Get this, even the mightiest can fall under the right conditions. The Ruler designed them with the intention of being undefeatable but why did previous Predators fall? There's the error in his planning.

"And then there's people like me, Candidates," he put a hand to his chest. "We're just one step away from becoming them. I mean, literally, one step away. I ain't invincible, but I sure as fuck can kill anything I want. See, I'm just as boss as them. Except, I don't have the leash."

Another twitch of his fingers had rocks flying everywhere. They slammed against their quickly raised shields. He adjusted his power and made them fly faster. They slammed harder against their shields to the point of being reduced to dust.

Another twitch had Koneko used as a projectile at equal speeds. She would have become paste even with her Rook durability. A shield dropped in favor of the Queen to catch her in her arms, even if it meant taking one hell of a hit from the cat-missile.

Spears of water and tendrils of destruction came at him from both sides, wanting to crush him between.

He put up both hands and commanded them to stop. No matter how hard their casters pushed for them to close in, their spells would not meet him in the middle. His power kept them at bay.

He flung his hands forward at them. Their own attacks were sent against them. They cut them off of power and let them fade out before it reached them.

The next sound was explosive as a large portion of the main school building collapsed on the other side of the campus. The temptation to look was great but they couldn't afford to take their eyes off of an opponent like Josh.

"N-No…" it was Sona who couldn't resist. Her face paled as her eyes went wide. "No, no, no, no, no…"

"Sona!" Rias called to her. "What is it?"

"Jesus titty-fucking Christ!" cursed Josh. "Did we seriously waste that much time already? Yup. It's been ten minutes. The handicap is up. Fucking hell, getting so many points in one blow…"

The weight of his ramblings made their hearts sink. The brothers had been having a contest of sport for some mediocre prize. The one who claimed the most amount of points was the victor.

And each brother would receive a point per each kill.

"I trust this one is yours…?" a gruff voice came from the pathway leading to the main school.

A broad and massive figure stepped out of the fallen trees. He towered over everyone else while dragging a body by the hair in his large hand. Sona immediately recognized the shade of blonde hair.

"…Saji…?" she whispered and descended to the ground.

The newest brother dropped him to the floor. "He fought… admirably. He would have given his life to protect his friends. I proved him wrong. I will not kill him. He was not on the list. And… I want him to live with his failure."

Sona was at a lost. She stared unbelieving at the sight of the battered and broken Pawn. Her eyes flicked over to the distance of the rising cloud of dust. Her eyes was transfixed on the obsidian eyes of the newest brother.

"…You killed them…" she said in a low voice it was almost a whimper.

"No shit he killed them," Josh crossed his legs as he floated. "That's what we're here for. In fairness, you _did_ kill most of us. You don't see us freaking out about it."

"You… monsters!" Rias roared. Her face turned crimson with outrage as her power spiked. Demonic energy oozed out of her being as her Power of Destruction slithered around her. It twitched, desiring only the command to tear him apart in the most painful manner conceivable.

Josh looked at her with the eyes of pity. His smile was gone. All remained was boredom.

He raised a hand as one would when something was casually tossed towards him.

And he caught the heart of Rias Gremory, being pried out of her chest by his ability.

She hadn't realized she had been killed even as her eyes stared at the organ in his grip. Her power sizzled out almost instantly. Her body went cold and limp a second afterwards. It fell out of the sky.

No one moved. They watched in full shock as her body hit the unforgiving ground and lay there.

"Training…" Josh spat out with venom. "You were _training_ to fight the likes of Predators. Stupid. That's not something you can learn to do from training. You _can't_ grow a resistance to these sorts of things. You either do or do not. There is no middle, there is no trial and error, there is no room for fuck ups, and there _certainly_ isn't any 80s training montage that'll help you beat the Big Bad.

" _This_ is how people at our level do things. We don't fight or struggle. We _kill._ "

He crushed the organ in his hands, letting it pop like a water balloon as blood splashed all over his face and ran down his arm. With a few wiggles of his fingers, he let the mush slide off and plop to the ground. Another flick dislodged the blood.

"…Why?"

He turned his head to look at the only one who had the ability to speak. They were consumed with hatred and horror. But this one? This one was only brokenhearted over what she had witnessed.

"Why would you do such a thing?" tears fell down Asia's eyes.

"Because it's what we do when we get together," Josh lifted his hands as if to say 'oh well'. "Would have been an even better party if Tubs is here. But the fat ass was done in by your boyfriend. Don't get me wrong. We have no bad feelings against him or you guys. I kinda like you. It's just family tradition. That's all."

"…Sick," Akeno spat.

Her eyes were wide and crazed with nothing but the urge to kill and maim Josh. The wind stormed around her as bolts of lightning frayed everywhere. Six feathered black wings stretched out of her back as the lightning around her glowed as bright as the sun.

"You're all _sick_!" she screamed. "We did _nothing_ to you! It was the Vampire who hurt Issei! It was _him_ who did everything wrong! And now you're hurting him by killing the ones he loves?! What more can you do to him?!"

She put her everything in her next strike. Her palms were thrust forward as the collective storm of Fallen light and Devil lightning arced towards Josh. It wasn't so much of a giant lightning bolt as it was a magnanimous beam of white destruction.

"Where the hell was this earlier?" Josh's voice could be heard despite the thunderous roar from her attack.

He had put up a hand and caught the beam. It sprayed everywhere as if it were water striking against a wall. With a flex of his fingers, the collective sum of her magic energy compressed into a tight ball small enough to fit into his palm. He spun it on his index finger, wiggling his wrist around to keep it spinning and maintain balance.

Akeno dropped to her knees as she was depleted of will and magical reserves. She really did throw everything into that last assault.

Josh looked down at her. There was some pity in his eyes. Only because she was a waste of good meat. He extended a hand towards her and drew on his powers.

A wave of light came towards him, almost crashing against his side if he hadn't sensed the spike of energy. All of these energy signatures bleeding all over the field distorted his senses and made it difficult to tell when a mystical attack was coming. He only saw a flash of light at the edge of his vision and a brief second to respond.

"God shit-eating damn!" Josh cursed as he batted aside the divine attack. It had cut into his hand and would have done a lot worse if he didn't catch it at the last instant. "What now?"

He glowered at the two girls wielding Holy Swords. Xenovia lifted her Durandal— which was still steaming from the discharge it had unleashed— and Irina held Ascalon.

"Come down here and surrender!" Xenovia barked. "Or we'll make you."

"Give up now before you make it any worse for yourself," Irina declared.

Josh floated there, unmoving. He could only stare at the two in incredulous disbelief. "…W-Wha…? You… You're totally serious? Manny, hey, they serious? Oh, wait, did you not hear what I just said thirty seconds ago? You girls didn't hear any of that? I don't wanna repeat myself, so you know what?"

He waved his hand. Xenovia's body jerked to the side and crashed into Irina. Their limbs fumbled around each other and it was their training as swordswomen that kept them from getting spliced by their Holy Swords.

Josh didn't stop. He flicked his wrist again and had them flying elsewhere. They crashed through the window of the old school building, busted down walls, and back out through another window. He pried the Holy Swords out of their hands while continuing to let them fly around, slamming into things like trees and the ground.

They weren't Devils. Nor were they prepared and properly armed for combat. They didn't have any of their divine protections. They were nothing more than mundane teenage girls.

He stopped dragging them around as soon as they both lost consciousness.

…He let their bodies drop onto their own blades, being impaled at the stomach.

Josh spread his arms, effectively making everyone in sight (sans Manuel) flinch. "Anyone else…? Anyone? Volunteers? Any heroes wanting to make a last stand?"

He waited patiently for someone to step up. He eyed each of them. They all shirked away from his gaze, taking quick steps back as if increasing the distance in his current state could save them.

The one to answer had been Kiba Yuuto.

He limped out of the forest, bleeding and using the regular Excalibur as a crutch. He approached the crater Josh floated over, stood as straight as he could, and lifted the Fae instrument with both hands. His shaking and bleeding hands.

"I am Kiba Yuuto!" he called out. "Knight of Rias Gremory!"

Josh rolled his wrist, gesturing for him to skip the long heroic speech and to get to the point.

Yuuto's eyes flared when he spotted the cooling corpse of his King. He had sensed her death… but he didn't want to believe it.

"I will avenge my master," he said with a broken voice, more so promising to himself than to anyone else.

Josh tilted his head and drew on his power, ready to reject anything the half-Predator would throw at him. His curiosity got the better of him when Yuuto slid his hand against the edge of Excalibur. The blood didn't run down as was common physics. It ran up the spine… and sank into the metal.

"Balance-Breaker!"

[Blade Blacksmith: Corrupted Blade of Imminent Demise!]

More blood was spilt on his hands as the hilt from Excalibur vanished. All that remained was the naked blade. There was nothing flashy or unique about its transformation just as it was mediocre with the other version of its Balance Breaker.

Yuuto rolled his shoulders and reeled his arm back, charging his strength to throw the blade like a javelin.

Josh wouldn't have any of that. He flicked his hand and drew on his power to swat him aside.

…Only, it didn't work.

"What?!"

It was all he could say as he twisted his body at the last instant. The sword nearly pierced through his head as it cut a few hairs off his scalp. His Magnetic affinity hadn't been able to touch the sword nor Yuuto, even as it was at its conceptual level!

"I can get you now," Yuuto said with a feral grin.

Two naked blades were in his hands this time. His Devil wings spread as he took to the skies. His Knight speed turned him into a blur as he brought both weapons around to slash at Josh, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop him.

Josh spared a second for himself when he brought Ol' Blue around to parry. Yuuto slashed through the aluminum bat as the Aura reinforcing it was cut cleanly in half.

The Knight was relentless in his pursuit. It didn't matter if Josh fled at neck-breaking speeds. He was always drawing closer to the Acolyte of Magnetism. He was a Predator and he had marked his target to kill. Nothing would be able to stop him as the World guided Yuuto in the most efficient plan of assault.

It also warned him of the threat coming to assist the brother.

Yuuto spun at the last second and brought his twin blades around to swipe at whatever was thrown his way. He felt resistance as an invisible energy field had tried to latch onto him and drag him to the ground. No, more like it would have crushed every bone in his body if he hadn't been warned by the World.

The strange net had come from the eldest brother, Manuel. He kept his hands to his side but extended his energy towards Yuuto in a flash. All without needing to move unlike Josh.

Listening to the whispers of the World, he found Manuel was an opponent he could take on lightly. The battle wouldn't be in his favor and all of his friends would be consumed in the conflict.

"Give him to me and I will let you go," Yuuto pointed one blade to where Josh was gradually floating away.

"…You know I will not," said Manuel in a deep voice. "Nor will we stop. We will finish what we started. You are welcome to stop us, Siege Perilous."

Yuuto's grip on the blades tightened. Everything in his head was pounding. He didn't want to avenge his King. He _needed_ to. It was driving him up the wall. The urge to kill the one who killed her was pushing him to fulfill his duties as her sworn Knight and as a Predator. How dare he call himself a Knight? And how dare Josh take what rightfully belonged to him?

Such was the mindset of the Siege Perilous Predator. Blind loyalty to his commander and comrades.

"Are you brats still going at it?"

A woman appeared, climbing over the pile of fallen trees blocking the main path. She was dressed in a black cloak with a white hood drawn back. She placed one hand on one tree to steady herself as she loomed around the field.

"Well…" she breathed in at the sight. "All this and you've only killed a few? It's been more than fifteen minutes since this all began. We should be cleaning up at this point."

Yuuto's eyes narrowed. This woman… the World was telling him she was as much of a threat as Josh and his older brother. Three of them like this? Together? There was no way around it. He needed to draw in as much attention as he could so his friends could get away. Only then would he be able to avenge Rias. Perhaps if he had the help of the Divine Beast then—

His eyes shot wide as the World told him something upon thinking of her.

"…Please tell me she's tied up," Josh said in a small voice.

Claudia's frown deepened. Her grip on the tree holding her steady tightened until her hands crushed the wood. It became ash as something sinister escaped out of her skin. "That fool gave up everything. She's no more."

Yes. Yuuto knew it to be true. The World was telling him.

He was now Seventh Predator. Which meant…

"You stupid bitch!" Josh swore. "You were supposed to prolong her for half an hour or until we got you! Now that she's dead the fucking Dragoon is going to know! Do you have a means of fighting a _Dragon_?! Manny?! 'Cause I sure as fuck don't!"

"She did it to herself!" Claudia snarled with spit flying out. "She killed herself. For _nothing._ To save her daughter? I still stand. Amelia died without my help."

"No!" Asia shrieked. "Sister Serene… couldn't have. She… She's a Predator. She's just like Ise! She couldn't have… you couldn't have… she… she couldn't… No… Sister Serene… Mo… Mother…"

"Your mother is dead," Claudia hissed as she released something she held in her other hand.

White dust. It flew out of her hand and took to the air, being carried off by the faint breeze. Some of it had landed near Asia.

The blonde girl, with hands shaking uncontrollably, reached forward to brush her fingers against the few particles that could reach her. It was just dust. Nothing more than the ash or sand they had created in the battle against the brothers.

Yet, something clicked within Asia. Something told her the origins of the dust. Something in her broke as her eyes stared aimlessly in front of her. She lifted her head, craning her neck around.

Her eyes, glazed and void of any emotion, locked on each of the bleeding corpses. Her friends who had made amends with her, Irina and Xenovia, had been impaled by their Holy Swords. And Rias, her sister in name, had a large cavity in her chest where her heart once had been.

And in her hands… the remains of the woman who raised her, _her mother_ she had recently learned, was nothing more than a few pieces of white grain.

"Stop her!" shouted Josh.

"Don't even think about it!" Yuuto shouted just as loudly. His blades swept at him again, intercepting whatever technique he was about to use against Asia.

"Toujou-san, get them away from here!" Sona commanded as she weaved another water spell to knock Claudia aside. The Inquisitor leapt away to dodge the series of water bullets, being forced away from Asia.

Manuel did not move. The most he did was cross his arms and watch Asia as one would spectate a car crash.

But that didn't stop the wad of silk slapping the side of his head with a bout of black flames erupting immediately after.

"Don't…" Saji struggled to breathe as he lifted as much of his body as he could. "I'm still… here…"

"Mother…" Asia whimpered as she clutched the small specks of dust in her hands. She pressed it close to her chest and refused to believe. "You can't… Mother… No… It's not... You can't be… Mother… Please, mother… please! Mother!"

In this state of shock a normal person would have broken down. The amount of stress on the mind would have left a traumatic print. They would either faint from the strain or lose a part of their selves and fall into madness.

When Asia screamed, both cases were inflicted onto her.

The world changed around them as the rings of the Twilight Healing glowed as bright as stars. The metals bent and stretched until they covered the tips of her index fingers. The glowing green healing light expanded outwards in a large area. It consumed Asia and all of those around them. But the rings knew it wasn't enough to match the desires of their vessel. The green light stretched further, encasing the entire Kuoh Academy campus in a large dome.

"This is…" gasped Claudia as her hand shot up to her throat. Her knees wobbled as she found it nearly impossible to breathe.

"…This is a Balance Breaker," Sona determined. She looked at the back of her hand were a few cuts had scraped her. She saw them vanish almost instantly.

Claudia coughed and fell with one hand supporting her. Blood was hacked. Black tendrils of sin lashed around her as she tried to use her Miracles to undo the damage wrought onto her. But it did not work.

Her skin was peeling off as she screamed in agony.

Josh landed not too far from the group. 'Landed' was the wrong word. It was more like he crashed with the ground stopping his descent. It hadn't been his intention. He had been flying away to flee from Yuuto when the world started to spin and unbearable pain latched onto him. His mask was starting to turn into static and his power was weakening.

"Rias!" several of the Devils shouted.

The King of the Gremory Peerage slowly rose from where her body had once bled out. Her uniformed was stained with her blood but the wound had been sealed shut. Her face was flush with her veins pulsing with new blood. The skin was pale and easily agitated, having been regenerated almost out of scratch.

…Or stolen.

"…B-Bitch…" Claudia cursed with a hand pressed against her chest. Blood flowed freely from her mouth and through her fingers. Her eyes glared in absolute hatred towards Asia before falling forward.

Her life had been traded for Rias'.

"Manny…" Josh still had the strength to rise up to his feet. But he wobbled around like a drunkard… or one at death's door. "Manny, do something."

Pieces of his mask were chipping away, being torn apart for the raw material and essence needed for the Balance Breaker of the Twilight Healing.

It was Xenovia who took a gasp of air and roar in pain. Durandal was still impaled through her stomach. Twilight Healing brought her back from death but there was nothing it could do about the blessed steel keeping her from fully healing. Xenovia realized this and tried to lift herself off of the blade.

Koneko pushed the blade to the side and brought her to the floor, and then retched Durandal out despite the Holy Sword burning her skin. But it didn't matter. Asia's Balance Breaker was already healing her wounds. Together, they worked to bring Irina down.

Everyone's wounds were healing. Yuuto flew down, standing tall and strong in peak condition. There was nothing he could do about the dried blood staining his uniform. But there was nothing crippling his movements as he approached Josh.

"Manny!" Josh begged as the last bits of his mask were taken away.

The eldest brother lifted his hand to examine his condition. His eyes studied the Miracle that was eating away at his life force and trying to transfer it over to another one of the dead. His power alone could resurrect all of those he killed and more.

But he wouldn't allow it. He brought his hand around…

…And stepped out of the barrier as if lifting the flap of a tent.

"Manny, you fuck!" roared Josh as blood began to drip down his face. He fell to his knees when he was losing the strength to stand.

"I win, Joshua," was all Manuel said through the veil on the other side.

"…Yeah, alright," Josh nodded as if his life wasn't being leeched away. "That's fair. It's what I would have done. Whelp… I guess this is it. This wasn't in any of my dreams. But that's what I get for relying too heavy on them…"

He cackled, which turned into a coughing fit with him spitting blood.

It was Irina who started to come out of death's embrace. Her eyes fluttered in dazed confusion as her wounds continued to close.

But she was to be the last person Asia could resurrect. It had always been her intention to bring back her mother. But there was nothing left to bring back. There was no vessel or soul to draw towards. There was nothing. And so, the healing properties of the Twilight Healing latched onto the nearest ones in the most dire of need.

There was nothing she could do for anyone else who had died. There simply wasn't any power left for her to take to bring them back.

"Hey… Hey you!" Josh turned towards her. He was at his elbows at this point. "I'm talking to you! Look at me. _Look at me damn you!_ "

Her eyes blinked. They slowly lifted up until they were locked on to his. She could not look away. Horror and realization shook her at the sight of him. Yes, she was making her deepest wishes come true. She was healing what could not be healed and bringing back the fallen back to life.

But it came at a cost. Life had to come from somewhere else.

She was killing him.

He smiled at her. A charming smile belonging to a beloved friend. It was a smile found only on one who loved another with everything in their soul.

"You will… never… forget me."

There was nothing but evil in his eyes. His head hit the floor. His eyes never looked away. His smile never fell.

Asia could not look away even after every last drop of his life force had been bled dry. With nothing else for her Sacred Gear to feed off of, the green field sank back into the rings and they shrunk back to their normal size.

It was then Asia fainted.

*Scene*

They all stood huddled around Asia, shielding her from the last brother. He was the one who had stayed out of the fight. He was the one who had wiped out most of the Sitri Peerage in a single strike.

"Stay behind me," Yuuto said as he stepped forward. "Do not move until I give the signal. When I do, get as far away from here as quickly as possible."

"Kiba," Rias stepped up beside him.

"Buchou," he gave her the smile of the Charming Prince. "I understand Ise-kun a lot and how he feels about you. You and the others are our most precious. Please let us protect you until you grow strong enough. This isn't a battle you can win."

Her lips were pressed in a thin line. "Kill him, Kiba. Those are your orders. After… we can discuss everything else. I don't appreciate you hiding things from me…"

His smile shifted to one of delight… crossed with nervousness. It was certainly going to be a fun conversation.

"Oi!" Saji called out. "He said he was a Gravity Acolyte. I don't know what that is but I hope it helps."

Yuuto nodded. The information helped tremendously. Even knowing something as vague as that adjusted the guidance from the World. He now knew what to expect and could follow his instincts a little clearer.

He did not question why Manuel was standing patiently for him to approach. He had his arms crossed with his eyes never leaving the Siege Perilous.

Light filled the ground between both parties. A large circle containing five insignias of different colors spun with crimson rays leaking out. It was a Dragon Gate, used by the Dragon Kings and their followers to traverse between dimensions.

They had felt this presence before. They knew exactly what it was coming from the other side.

Issei broke out of the Gate with a surge of draconian power coursing through him. It made reality quake as the gems dotting his Scale Mail glimmered fiercely. His draconian essence revitalized them all as his heart leapt in relief, while beginning to bear a heavy strain on his enemy as the Dragoon let out some of his wrath into the plane.

He looked at each of them, not saying anything as he took in the sight of them. Behind his helm they could feel his eyes trace them and linger on the dried blood. He lifted his head, examining the destruction wrought onto the school. His eyes lingered the longest to Yuuto before shaking his head and returning his attention elsewhere. And then he lowered it in thought, or trying to reach into himself to find an answer to something that plagued him.

"…Where's Amy?" was what he asked aloud.

"We don't know," Akeno was the one to answer. Her arms cradled around Asia's limp form a little tighter.

Her reaction and the deep lie in her voice was the answer he didn't want to hear. His fists shook with barely restrained rage.

Both Predators turned their heads towards the main road. Only the likes of their kind could have known the approaching presence of another.

"I apologize," Ludwig von Siegfried struggled to climb over the mess of fallen trees and boulders. "I came as soon as I could but I do not have the luxury of teleportation. I sent Sir Genshirou ahead."

He limped forward on his cane to approach the other Predators. Everyone made room for him to walk. He stopped at once to gaze at the presence of Yuuto, whom he found just as intriguing and curious as Issei had.

"Three Predators?" Manuel spoke up. His voice boomed as his Aura began to charge. It did not consume the entire field like his brothers' had. It was far more subtle, tamed, and, frighteningly, invisible to their senses.

"Oh, bugger," Ludwig stood on one leg as he lifted the cane that sealed Gram Mk VII.

Issei and Yuuto felt it too from their natural instincts as well as the alarms presented by the World. Issei fell into the Assaulter stance with a grace beyond his previous merits. Yuuto raised a single naked sword up with both hands and prepared for the worst.

An obsidian mask appeared on Manuel's face, perfectly molded as a second skin.

But with it also… an ethereal series of brands across his forehead.

It was the same brand that had claimed Amelia Rosewood.

"That's three heads I can deliver to McCain!"


	8. First, the Hunter

"Hello again, Ddraig."

Issei opened his eyes after having the strangest dream. Just as most other dreams, most of it he couldn't recall. He remembered walking along Kuoh, stopping to chat with a few others, but most of the things they shared had been forgotten. He did remember meeting with the Vampire, with Sona, with Ayame, and then…

Ddraig. He had a conversation with Ddraig. Yes, that's right. Now things were starting to come back to him.

"Did you sleep well?" Tiamat asked while sprawling herself over the lavish bed he slept in. The bed alone was the size of his room back home— and the room itself was the size of his house. Everything within looked expensive… enough so he was too scared to touch anything.

Now, this wasn't just some guest room. This was Tiamat's private room. And she took no shame in sleeping at his side, curling herself against his chest and snoring away as the nights came. There wasn't anything sensual about it as she never took advantage of him or tried anything indecent. Even her nightwear was something modest, though it wrapped around her in such a way he couldn't help but stare at her alluring form.

Tiamat was something new. She had the maturity of a grown woman with the body to match. She had the full breasts and wide hips that called for him to devour her. But she was also pure athleticism and power with the amount of muscle packed in her. And no matter what she done— from walking across the room, to pouring his tea, to even sprawling lazily across the bed— she had the posture and grace of a predator.

She was a creature who knew she was the pinnacle of beauty combined with the instinct of a carnivorous hunter. She was something so primal and raw there was none else like her in the modern age. Age hadn't rotted her like most in the world; it had matured her like the finest of wines.

Issei wanted desperately to have a taste of her… and knew at the same time it was a poison that would kill him.

"As well as I can…" he said with a nervous smile. His instincts as a Predator told him there was little to nothing for him to be worried about. But he still remembered the thrashing she gave him when she… transformed, for lack of a better word. He was walking on glass with her around. "Had something of a weird dream."

She blinked and rolled over, lying on her stomach with her legs crossed. "A dream? Had I not known of your irregularities I'd have called you a liar. What is it like to dream within a Dream?"

He didn't know what to make of her question. He did feel the importance of the way she capitalized _Dream_. It almost sounded like something of authority such as whenever he announced himself as a Predator.

"This would be the second time since I became a Predator…" he muttered while trying to scratch his cheek. It was a habit of his but under his current situation he couldn't. "I sleep, sure. But because of the constant awareness from the World, I never get to dream. I'm always aware of my surroundings or of distant threats. The first time I dreamed was when I was talking to Vorpal and the previous wielders of the Boosted Gear."

She looked upset whenever he mentioned anything about being a Predator. "Why do you serve in such an unrewarding occupation? You are clearly dissatisfied with it. Why not quit as this troubles you so deeply?"

She had been like this since their battle. She talked to him as she would address Ddraig but knew very well he was Hyoudou Issei. It hurt his head trying to understand her logic.

"That's not something you can just quit," he argued. "Besides, even if I could, I don't think I should. Yeah, I do hate it. I don't want to be a Predator. But there are a lot of responsibilities that I need to take care of. My friends. The World. I have to protect it from the enemy."

"The enemy," she sighed. "This… Khaos Brigade you told me about? I do not understand. Is this still a game to you, Ddraig? Or are you serious? Are you aware if this is a threat as you believe them to be, then why not destroy them all?"

"This isn't a game," his anger was rising at her dismissive tone. "They want to awaken something all of us together don't have a means to defeat. It is a monster among monsters. The Brigade want to break it free from its prison. If I could destroy them all then I would. But the World keeps telling me even with all of us together it still isn't enough…"

Tiamat studied him for a moment. Her head tilted slightly while resting her cheek to her palm. Her legs began to kick up and down as she lay there. "The Triangular Beast, you mean? Or, rather, as these denizens call it, Trihexa? That is not your problem, Ddraig. That is something beyond the measures of the defenders of the planet. That is the duty of a Guardian."

"A what?"

She frowned, "Never you mind. This topic is poisonous. Please, tell me more about this dream. I've never had one and would like to know more. What is it like?"

He scowled at her. She was treating his duties as a Predator as secondhand importance. As a defender of the planet, it was he who was tasked with protecting the World and its Ruler. That also included _everyone_ who lived here. If the Khaos Brigade succeeded in resurrecting Trihexa, then all life on this planet was over. It was the World constantly screaming at Issei to do _something._

Ever since becoming a Predator, the screaming wails of the impending doom have been growing louder.

There was no point in trying to convince her just as how she was trying to convince him. They could argue about it until the Evensong approached. Instead, he decided to indulge her in her request just so they could start the day and continue with his… lessons.

"It's like…" he looked up, trying to think of how to explain something as abstract as the concept of a dream. "Watching a movie? Or living through a memory? Something like that."

"Then it is not as different as now…" she muttered while looking around her surroundings. "Interesting. You live in there as we live in here. Were you also Ddraig in that dream? Or did you play the part of another role?"

"I was me…" he spoke slowly, half trying to recall and the other half trying to ignore her strange ramblings. "I met with someone I still hate to this day. I met with what was once my best friend. I met my sister…"

…He decided it would be best to leave out Ddraig. That would have been a headache and a half to tell her about it.

"They each talked to me and shared with me some advice," he went on. "Things I already know myself so I can move on with my life. Things I do regret but need to get over them. It was also strange how they kept chanting the same thing my predecessors sang. But, I guess it makes sense since the time I dreamed before was when I met them."

"Did they share you should remember me?" she asked with bated breath.

"N-No…" he had difficulty looking at her, especially when the temperature plummeted. "Just some personal stuff. Hey, you know a lot about Ddraig, yeah? Do you know what _Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan_ means? That's all my predecessors—"

"Why don't you tell me more about this Khaos Brigade?" she sat up abruptly and leaned close to him. She was practically lying on top of him. "Is it any fun being a Predator? If you are so enthralled with this game then perhaps I may join you as well, Ddraig?"

Women was something he'll never understand and accepted that. But, while he may admit to not being the smartest of the male species, he knew the bare minimum to realize she had changed the subject on purpose. A topic she had called poisonous, at that.

"What does it mean?" he tried again. "Honestly, whenever they chanted it, Vorpal would start crying. If I focus I can hear it sobbing away… eating tubs of ice cream. How in the world…?"

 _~I am the Dream_ Devourer!~ he heard Vorpal cry inside his head. ~ _I'm not faaaaaaaat!~_

"It's nothing," she snapped, nearly snarling with her fangs making her mouth click. "A waste of time, that's all it was. It amounted to nothing more than you being sealed away by a lowly Incarnation. I will not lose you to this once again."

Her hand resting against his chest began to tighten on the silk pajama shirt she had dressed him in. He was fully clothed on the day before, for the record. It wasn't unusual for him to lose consciousness after extensive exercises from his lessons with her.

"It can't be _that_ bad," he tried to get some answers out of her. "I thought it was God who sealed Ddraig and Albion away after they were fighting. That's what Sona told…"

He sniffed. If he had the strength he would be in the corner sobbing his eyes out just as how Vorpal was binging inside his head. Merely muttering _that name_ brought back a horrible memory and made him depressed. His only means of comfort was the doll he crafted in her likeness. But it was out of his reach.

…Mainly because Tiamat had tied him to the bed while he was asleep.

"That was in the script, yes," Tiamat sighed and let her head rest against his chest. She dragged a sharp nail across his shirt without tearing the fabric. "And here I thought you were starting to remember. Ddraig, my dearest brother, why do you not remember me? To call your brother _Albion_ ; is there nothing more I can do to have you remember who you are…?

"Very well. After the Black Sun, we all traversed the realms of the Dreamers in search of a new home. You were determined to find this one… prophecy. You claimed to have been conjured by an Outsider who told you of a boy that shall be our salvation. This boy would bring life to all the realms once more, bring order to the Originals and tame the Abyss, and make things as they were meant to. You chased after this… song. A song you claimed to hear.

"When we told you it was enough…" her voice dropped as she climbed up. She rested her head against his shoulder while playing with his bound hand. "You argued with us and came here without us. You broke my heart when you abandoned me, assuming the name of Ddraig. Your brother [Entropy] pursued you. When words could not distill you, he took the name of Albion and challenged you with might. Before either of you could game, it was the Incarnation of the Heavens who bound you to your vessels and sealed you in these… Sacred Gears. Blasphemous lot of Phenomenon…

"Does this jar your memory at all…?" she asked with an almost pleading tone.

He was quiet for the most part. He didn't know what to believe in the story nor what to think. Ddraig was some sort of… alien? Some being that came elsewhere and not originating from this planet? And Ddraig wasn't really Ddraig, according to Tiamat. Now all of her comments were starting to make some bit of sense.

[Potential] was his real name and he became the _character_ named Ddraig. Like an actor assuming a role.

He supposed that's how it all began. How God came to seal their souls into Sacred Gears, which would eventually be passed down to Issei. Which would then lead to the Vampire arriving…

…And then Issei confronting 'Ddraig' for power.

His Gift of Flight twitched at his back.

While this may have answered a lot of things, most of them were things he had learned to ignore. He had gone a long time without learning anything new about the Dragon. Yes, all of this information was amazing to him but not really necessary. Also, it didn't answer his original question.

"It's part of a song?" he raised his voice. "What was this song about?"

She scowled at him. Her hand froze as it was winding its fingers through his. She dropped her hand. Her voice was disgruntled, "I do not understand it myself. I see no power in those words. Nor do I understand your enthusiasm for it. Such is a Mundane Work, the lowest of the low in the grand scheme. If you truly favor such a thing then will you not take pleasure in mine, brother?"

She pressed herself harder against him. His mouth fell open as he felt her breast ride up against his ribs. Her torso was wiggling around, making them slide up and down against him to the point where they were exciting her nipples. His mind had already calculated the dimensions of her breasts and could give an accurate guess on their cup size.

They were almost as perfect as Rias'!

[ _Zoom, zoom, iyaan~_ ] a chorus of voices sang in his head.

"B-Breasts?!" he gasped. "Boobs?! There's no way… You mean… That chant is all about _boobs_?!"

"At last you see the mediocrity of it," she sighed with relief and went to lie flat on her back at his side. She propped one leg up while flicking a finger on the ethereal ropes keeping him from fleeing. "Honestly, the legend of the _Oppai Dragon_? And what has such a legend brought you? Nothing but ruin."

"Eh… Tiamat-san…" he was trying his luck at this point. "Exactly how does this legend go?"

She eyed him with the glare of a hawk. It made him feel like a mouse in open field.

"I-I mean… Ddraig must have heard _something_ if he came here even if it meant getting away from you," he sputtered quickly. Her eyes narrowed when he chose his words poorly. "L-Listen! I'm sure there's a reason why he did it! When I first met Ddraig, he was a really serious Dragon. He used a lot of big words I didn't understand at the time but I knew he wouldn't have abandoned you for a pair of breasts. I just want to know what he was after."

Because, seriously, there was a legend of an _Oppai_ Dragon? Issei loved breasts as much, if not greater than, the next guy. But, really, a Dragon who might be an alien from another dimension coming across an intergalactic highway in pursuit of them? That was the start of some of the craziest doujinshi— and usually the alien was female or a tentacle monster.

Tiamat didn't answer him. An annoyed expression was on her face when she rolled over a few times to get out of the bed. She brushed a few locks of hair over her shoulder while crossing over the carpet to stand at the head of the bed. Her hands were at her waist while her pale blue eyes pierced through his.

And then, his mind did a double take as he soaked it in, she began to… sing and dance.

"There is a breast-loving Dragon living in the edge of a certain city~

"The Dragon goes for a walk when the weather is good~

"Dragon, Dragon, Oppai Dragon~"

The way she moved around the room, sashaying her hips and popping out her chest, forcing his eyes to capture the bounce of her breasts whenever she moved… She was a goddess of the steps as everything she did in the choreography exhibited pure sexuality and allure. While it was something that did capture the eye of the healthy male, it could also draw in the female populace for the grace it presented and the strength it announced. There was also an innocence to it that could, dare he say, have children cheering without being aware of the physical appeal of the dance.

…If only the words were just as innocent.

"Grope-grope, Suck-suck, _Pafu-pafu_ ~

"There are so many types of breasts~

"But he like the big ones the best~

"The Oppai Dragon flies today~"

He felt something from these words. There was something magical about them. Something about them brought tears to his eyes and made his heart sway. Yes, this was the love and respect he had for breasts that he had always failed to explain to others. This song told the hidden truth. But what was more, it _really_ was magical as there was a flourish of power in them.

He could feel the energy in the room start to gradually rise. This song was an incantation to something greater. More than just magic, more than just some authority, more than the power enforced by the Laws of the World, it was a _truth._ He could feel it resonate in his core.

"In an edge of a certain town, the Oppai Dragon was laughing~

"Even on a stormy day, the Oppai Dragon becomes happy by pressing breasts~

"Dragon, Dragon, Oppai Dragon~

"Click-Click—"

[ _ZOOM, ZOOM, IYAAAN!_ ] roared the predecessors of his Sacred Gear in the exact same time as Tiamat.

"He has seen lots of breasts, but he likes big ones the best~

"The Oppai Dragon also pushes today…"

She finished. Tiamat put her hands down to her side and let loose a short puff of air. The dance was over and her sharp eyes were locked on with his, studying his reaction.

If he could use his hands, he would be clapping for an encore. Whoever this Oppai Dragon was, he had great taste in music.

"Does this satisfy your curiosity?" she asked with a bit of a peeved tone. Her eyes were as sharp as usual but the cold atmosphere of the room added pressure to the gaze. She wasn't happy one bit about performing the song and dance.

"Y-Yes," he said in a weak voice. "Thank you, Tiamat-san. I think I understand now."

She cocked a brow. The expression shifted immediately into one of skepticism and annoyance. "Is that so? Then will you share with me your insight? What could have driven you to turn your back on our union? Why did you betray me, brother mine?"

He could hear the amount of hurt slipping out of her voice unintentionally. Ddraig had seriously hurt her over such a song.

Issei raised his head and said boldly, "It's more than just a prophecy about breasts! It's about truth and love! Sure, most people probably look at it as a perverted song about a Dragon who only loves breasts. But as a pervert and breast connoisseur I can tell there's more to the song than just that. It's about a journey to the furthest reaches in search of perfection.

"The Oppai Dragon likes the biggest pair? Ha! They just being large doesn't mean anything. The little ones deserve just as much attention for the amount of potential they inherit. That's why I call bullshit on this prophecy. There's a lot more to the picture! There's a hidden truth to this song! I can hear it. Ddraig must have heard it."

"…What folly," she snarled. Her arms were crossed and her claws were tearing the fabric of her sleeves. Hoarfrost breathed through her lips as she sneered, "You said the exact same thing when you left me. Potential? _You_ are [Potential]! What other source is there other than your own? Do not spit such nonsense to me. Not now. Not when I've finally found you."

"Don't you dare mock me or Ddraig!" he spat with defiance. His power leaked out enough to crush the bed underneath him and counter her cold with thick heat.

Her eyes widened slightly in both surprise and anger.

He had enough. With minimal effort, he pulled his arms free. The ethereal chains broke and he climbed himself out of bed.

"Tiamat," he said with a voice filled with heated ferocity. He could feel his skin turn to scales and eyes glow with draconian essence. "Call me whatever you want. I am a pervert. I love breasts. But they're more to me than just body parts. They are the things I live for. They are the reason I love women so much. They are the reason why I became a hero, why I ventured to gain power against the Vampire, and why I continue to be a Predator.

"Yeah, breasts are fun to look at. Even better to cop a feel. But they're a symbol to me. To see a pair of breasts means there's a babe attached to them. And that person has a heart, has hopes and dreams, has _life._ I am what I am to protect that. Even if it means I have to bear the mantle of an Ultimate Killer. Even if it means the entire world is against me. Even if it means… someone I love very much is against me."

He paused to take a breath.

"I'm done here," he said after a moment. "I only stayed because you seemed to know about Ddraig. I didn't get to talk to him much. But he was a strong hearted guy. He handed me his power after hearing me. He believed in me. That's all I need. I don't need you to do the same."

"…You're mad," she said in a low voice. Her hand was to her heart with her eyes wide. She looked as if he had slapped her. The physical blow would have done nothing to her. The sheer shock of it did more damage instead. "Breasts? Breasts?! You would continue playing your role as a slave to the World over something so _physical_?! Something so mundane?! You are a Lawmaker! Ddraig— [Potential], I do not understand! Tell me what you see in this!"

She… looked scared. It hurt him to see her like this. She had been so strong during the past few days since their battle. She had been filled with confidence he couldn't help but look up to her. His eyes had been opened when she revealed her true power as [Twilight] and more so when she shared her stories about Ddraig.

But now? Now she was scared. She looked like an animal that had been backed into a corner. She looked desperate enough to attack him if he so much as twitched. At the same time, she looked on the verge of crying.

Someone as strong as her shouldn't look like this.

"…Love," he answered. It had come out of his mouth before his mind could process it. "I do it for love. Nothing else."

Tiamat looked stunned. She didn't move from her spot as she blinked over his answer. To be fair… he had no idea what it meant either. It could have been the first thing he could come up with. But it also felt right. He could keep his head up high over the answer.

"Do you not love me?" she asked in a low voice. It was as soft as a whisper.

He wanted to say he didn't know her enough to have an answer. But his instincts as a Predator warned him against it. She would have lashed out at him for it. Instead, he took in a deep breath to think of a better answer.

"I do not understand," she said before he could come up with anything. One of her nails went through the collar of her gown and glided down her midriff. "But if love is what you see, then see how much I love you. Let me love you, brother."

…There were so many things wrong with that. Those were the lines of too many doujinshi he's read.

His mouth dried as heat flushed his face. Her eyes became pleading and hungry when she shirked off the two halves of her gown. The silken fabric cascaded down into a small pile at her feet. Her alabaster skin shone in the dim lighting of the morning sun. Her skin was as smooth and flawless as the marble carvings of Greek statues.

But her beauty went beyond the mere mortal speculation. The Greeks had been way off with their math for the Golden Ratio.

Tiamat was more than just beauty. She was something pried directly out of a dream, corrected through every detail, and projected with a glamour. Her body was shapely with fine lines of muscle in all the right places. Her curves were copious. Her stance was open, welcoming, and craving to be embraced.

Her breasts made him want to cry.

He could feel the primal urge to take her back to the bed and wrestle with her. He would take her. He would claim her, have her struggle and put up a good fight, but he would dominate her in the end and have his fill. He would make love to her for days until they were both satisfied. He would take his time, getting to learn every corner of her body and every weak point. He would fill her with ecstasy just as she would deplete his cravings.

She was a Dragon. He was a Dragon. Not a Dragon and a human. Not a Dragon and a Devil or a Reincarnated Devil. A Dragon and a _Dragon._ They were one in the same. They needed each other.

…He almost gave into it.

Something struck his senses. It was nothing significant. He could have ignored it with how little it was. It was nothing but information the World continuously fed him. It was so much like a stream of water that endlessly turned a wheel.

He caught one single drop of water in that metaphorical stream. No, not water. There was blood in it.

"…I need to leave," he said with his voice shaking. His heart was beating on both the urge to mate with Tiamat as well as shocked nerves from the news. His vision was starting to spin but he pushed the nausea back. "Now!"

For a moment, he saw hurt in her eyes. He was denying her in her most desperate of times. But a fire burned quickly. Cold determination returned to her expression.

"Do you think I will permit you to leave me so soon, Ddraig?" she said in the same cold tone as when they first met.

"I don't have time for this!" he roared. "Come with me if you want then! Just don't stop me! I need to get back to the surface world as soon as possible! My friends are in danger!"

Her eyes flashed once. He didn't know what to make of it. "What is it the World has told you, Predator?"

"… **I am Sixth** ," he said with a voice of power fueled by the World.

He didn't want to believe it. His mind reached out to the nexus that was the World and called upon the knowledge on every Predator. He could located all of them except for two. Archibald was in a business meeting in China. Ludwig was on a Harley on his way to Kuoh with his Knights in tow. Rolan was in the Fae Lands occupied in Europe; he blinked once, looked back at Issei with eyes narrowing in curiosity, and then widening with realization. And Li Qin was… traversing dimensions.

Predator Philips could not be found. That was common. Issei could never find the stealth specialist of the Predators, hence why he was the stealth specialist.

…He also couldn't find Amelia.

"It happens," she offered with no concern. "The world continues to grow, brother. Betters will arise. Fangs tend to dull over the ages. I have seen every one of your kind be surpassed, wilt, or be betrayed by one of your own. Did you yourself not slay one not so long ago?"

"I'm leaving," he snarled, baring his fangs. "Get out of my way or I'm never coming back!"

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "I will not let you leave."

"Then I will never love you. I will hate you for all eternity if you let my friends die!"

His words reached her. Her lips twitched once as her face turned frozen. He could almost see the cogs in her head turn.

She turned her body towards the corner of the room, raised her hand, and released a bit of her power. A glyph appeared at her palm with five sigils in five different colors. A matching magic circle sprouted near the fireplace. It was large enough to fit the entire Occult Research Club. It was a strange sort of magic— far different than Devilry, Miracles like Amelia's, and even Ludwig's or Richard's spells. It felt like she had commanded nature to obey just as one would breathe out to create a tiny gust of wind.

Nature had obeyed her command. This was the power of a Dragon, a force of nature given corporeal form.

"Go, before I change my mind," she said in a low and strained voice. She crossed her arms as if to restrain herself. "I will come for you once again."

"…Thank you," he said. Neither of them met another's gaze.

He rushed forward as the magic circle began to spin and brighten the room. Power oozed out of it the closer he got.

He did not need to shout for his Balance Breaker. The armor sprouted from his draconian essence with a mental command. The crimson metal formed around him just as the light reached a crescendo. He felt his body being tugged through the Dimensional Gap, connecting the Underworld to the surface world.

0-0-0

"That's three heads I can deliver to McCain!" shouted Manuel.

Issei was the one who rushed in first. His wings blazed as he leapt forward as fast as the concept of thought. He was more than a blink, faster than light— he was the living embodiment to the idea of instantiation.

He was caught in a net as he was but a grain of sand short of plowing his fist through the Acolyte's face. A pressure he could not describe batted against him, keeping him back from unleashing his strength. It would not allow him to close the miniscule distance. Even with his Gift of Flight could he not press forward. He felt himself flying forward. He could feel the grand distance of lightyears and then some traverse past him.

Yet he could not move. It was as though Manuel was endlessly creating space between them to keep him from getting closer.

Worse, Issei could feel time itself go by him. He could feel time stretch the harder he pressed and the harder Manuel oppressed him. Days, weeks, years, centuries, eons flowed, came, went, and repeated in an almost random loop. He felt himself going forward in time just as much as going back.

He roared and bore his fangs beneath the helm. He put more power into his efforts. But he would not budge.

"Issei!" shouted Yuuto as he sprang forward. He was agonizingly slow compared to Issei's instantaneous speed, but he was faster than human possibility with his agility as a Knight.

"No!" cried Ludwig. "Pull back! Don't let him catch you in his field!"

"I can cut it!" Yuuto argued and kept up with his charge.

Manuel looked from Issei to Yuuto and raised his hand, palm facing Yuuto. The Siege Perilous Predator readied his weapon. He could feel the net of disturbing energy coming for him just like the last time. He raised Excalibur and brought it down. The blade spliced the technique before it could touch him, dispelling it into nothingness and ending it before it could touch him.

There was a second wave behind the first. And a third. And a fourth. And a fifth… and a hundred others. Yuuto had only cut one tiny string compared to a nexus of a thousand. It was a masterful weave fabricated with the utmost intention of negating his strike. He would have to cut through all thousand of them at the exact same time.

"Multiply!" Ludwig beckoned with a hoarse voice fit for his age. A dull power hummed from his body. It was nothing compared to the potency of Issei's oceanic draconian essence or even the presence of Manuel's abyssal Aura.

But it was of a class of its own.

Dust smaller than the point of a needle formed out of nothing. They sparkled like the specks of cut moonlight picked from the rays of the night itself. They did not so much as float in the air around Yuuto as they set themselves perfectly still in the open space. They refused to budge as they took formation around him.

The will of Manuel's technique could not get through them. Nor could it slip through the gaps left wide open. An invisible force was at the works in keeping Manuel's technique at bay.

It was what kept Yuuto from getting caught in the trap. He didn't have Issei's ridiculous endurance. He wasn't sure what would have happened if he was enraptured by it.

"Dragon Shot!" howled Issei. His fist glowed white hot until crimson sparks began to ignite. It was as if his fist was traveling at Mach speed, igniting the air with the amount of friction he was gathering in his still position. His draconian essence bled out, slipping up his arm as though he was traveling too fast for it gather around his fist.

It only took half a second for him to focus, recalibrate his efforts, and transfer all the energy of his technique forward. It also took Manuel half a second to defend himself against it.

He dismissed Yuuto and put his other hand up towards Issei. The Dragon Shot crashed against another invisible layer and splashed everywhere. Crimson streams of draconian energy tore into everything.

"Multiply! Multiply!" shouted Ludwig as he put his arms up in defense.

The same moonlit diamond dust appeared around him. They compressed a little closer at his front, acting as a shield to protect himself. Issei's attack left dents in his makeshift shield, turning some of the crystal red and leaving pockmarks.

A second defense had been erected in front of those they had sworn to protect. Yuuto's heart lurched when he saw Issei's attack splinter the area around them. Had it not been for Ludwig's immediate reaction, they would have been caught in the crossfire.

"Leave at once!" Ludwig shouted to them. "I cannot protect you from here!"

There were pained expressions from all of them. They wanted to help in any way they could. But they already knew they were outclassed by a large margin. They had survived by a fluke and a miracle and probably something more. It hadn't been because of their arduous training.

Yuuto shared a glance with his King. Her eyes were hardened. She gave him a silent command through that gaze. His orders were to put down the enemy and come back alive.

He nodded in complete understanding.

Akeno finished the teleportation circle right after that. They disappeared in a flash of light.

It was then Issei lost his struggle against Manuel. His head snapped back as his body was flown backwards faster than Yuuto could see. A sonic boom burst his ears as a shockwave crashed against the barrier Ludwig had created around him. Issei's body all but vanished; the only evidence he had been tossed was the trail of carnage he left in his wake.

"Master Kiba! At front!" shouted Ludwig. He raised his cane like a rapier and pointed his free hand with the palm facing Manuel. "Do not look away from him! Do not look into his eyes!"

…If he had never heard of an oxymoron before…

[Papa! Your hand is bleeding too much. I can keep it back but the more you use this form the more you're cut yourself. You may lose your hands.]

"I don't exactly have a choice," Yuuto growled. He raised his sword and coiled his fingers around the edge where the hilt should be. The blade dug further into his skin and he did his best to ignore the pain. "I can't get through their defense with my other Balance Breaker. This is the only form that'll allow me to cut through their techniques."

"Together then, Master Kiba!" barked Ludwig. "Lead and I shall support!"

Yuuto did not like Sir Ludwig any more than he had liked Serene of Finland. He was sorry for her death and what it meant to Asia and Issei… but he couldn't like her on a personal level. They were Predators who had admitted to have played a role in the Holy Sword Project those years ago. Ludwig had said it to his face without any remorse.

And now he was going to have to put his faith and trust in this man. Confliction arose. He wanted to believe this was all an act to get better acquainted with Issei. The man had his orders to do such.

The conflict could only afford to last for a split second. His call of duty overshadowed it. This man, Manuel, had invaded his King's territory and had spilt blood. He could not be permitted to leave unpunished.

In the name of duty, he listened to his most base instincts. He was going to survive to serve his King and deliver her justice. He would put down his hatred for Ludwig.

For now.

"Multiply!" commanded Ludwig as he directed his cane forward. More diamond dust appeared within his vicinity. But rather than spreading out, they compressed together into congealed mass. They took on the shape of stakes and blades, each one pointed at Manuel.

Manuel wasn't going to wait for Ludwig to finish his preparations. He brought his foot forward as he punched the air. An invisible force swept forward, rippling the space in front of him and sending a wave in every direction. It was as though he dropped a rock onto the surface of water. However, it affected space itself and had the wave spreading out in all three dimensions. He was covered in a dome of the invisible unstoppable force. A pocket crater was being created with him floating in the center.

The dome continued to expand quickly, soon to reach the two of them.

Yuuto shot forward with Excalibur's tip pointed in front of him. He was going to lunge straight for Manuel's body after piercing through the dome. His instincts were telling him of the conditions of his Balance Breaker as well as the amount of resistance he would receive in his attack. He did not hesitate even when his mind was screaming at him to stop. He would be pulverized if he continued on with his charge.

He put all his faith in Ludwig. His newfound Predator instincts told him of the potential of the Dragon Slayer and how it could benefit him. Alone, Yuuto would have died. But should Ludwig interact…

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig again as a secondary signature buzzed. He did nothing more than swipe his hand across the air… and flick a finger.

The crystalized weapons he created shot forward like rockets. The pikes stabbed into the expanding field. Manuel's gravitational dome stopped in its tracks. The blades that came afterwards cut into the dome, weakening its power and creating tears as if it were fabric.

Yuuto thrust Excalibur forward, tore through the dome, and entered the field without hindrance.

Pain nearly made him blank out.

It felt like he was crossing through the void of the cosmos and the impossible weight of the ocean at the same time. He felt his skin start to peel off as a great force was making every corner of himself expand. His blood vessels felt ready to burst with every heartbeat. He couldn't breathe. His bones were ready to shatter into dust with the amount of pressure each step of his took.

It was the brilliance of Excalibur's protection that kept him going. The Corrupted Blade of Imminent Demise was the alternative Balance Breaker he achieved due to the holy influence of Excalibur. It was the polar opposite of the Betrayer Hilt of Absolute Victory. While his first Balance Breaker allowed him to cut through ideally anything… it still had its restrictions.

The Corrupted Blade of Imminent Demise didn't grant victory like its counterpart. It wasn't promised. But it did guarantee _someone_ would die.

It could cut through that which its counterpart could not. The Corrupted Blade sank into those that defied the Laws of the World.

This field of Manuel's was one such thing. I should not have been something that should be happening. He was creating his own gravitational field with himself at the center. He was turning himself into something of a micro-planet and warping reality to revolve around him. Everything caught in this field was being disintegrated into dust that constantly bombarded Yuuto.

The radiance of Excalibur was cutting through this field, negating its impossible properties from touching him. He was creating a hole through Manuel's defiant technique.

It wasn't enough to stop the field entirely. If anything, Yuuto would have said it was like taking a dive through a pool of gelatin. He could sink into it and claw his way around, but he wouldn't be able to make it collapse on itself through this method.

He roared out. No sound came from his voice through this damp field. He brought Excalibur back to hack at Manuel.

Manuel's hand lashed out like a viper's. His fingers coiled around Excalibur's blade from the back, catching the flat of the blade between the tips of his fingers and his palm in a vice grip. He had no such problems moving in his own territory.

Yuuto dismissed the blade, summoned another one in his opposite hand, and lifted it up to shield himself from Manuel's retaliation. The Acolyte brought his other fist around in a quick jab towards his solar plexus. His fist slammed against the flat of the blade hard enough to have Yuuto reeling back.

The strange markings on Manuel's brow lit up. Yuuto's left fist tore open enough for the bone to seep through. He gritted his teeth at the pain but it was the shock that made him waver.

Manuel spun in a twist that shouldn't have been possible for someone his size. He brought his shin around and struck Yuuto's hip despite his instincts and his reaction time as a Knight. Even when Yuuto knew the attack was coming, his body had failed to react in time. This field was hindering his movement worse than how he could predict. The World was failing to coordinate things properly so long as he remained in here.

He heard something snap from the initial contact. Pain came afterwards. His hipbone must have snapped.

[Promotion: Knight Juggernaut Overdrive!]

A red blur swept through the field without any such restriction. It tackled Manuel, knocking him to the ground for only a brief instant. Manuel immediately recovered, pried his hands free, and slammed them both down onto Issei's back.

Draconian plating snapped and shattered by the impact. Issei's scaled flesh was exposed before the armor began to reform. He stumbled to recover himself with the wind knocked out of him, spun, and lashed his claws at Manuel.

The field crumbled when they both engaged against the other. Yuuto's wings kept him from falling into the vast pit Manuel's technique had created.

He watched as Issei and Manuel went at another. Issei was a flurry of motions that far surpassed Yuuto's speed as a Knight. His body was nothing but a blur with how fast he moved. Limbs were flying everywhere in retaliation and in defense. He was switching between the Assaulter and Defender stances too quick for Yuuto to count.

Manuel was also just as impossibly fast. His body flickered to match Issei's speed. But with that speed was also strength. Every strike returned from Manuel had a sort of power behind it that made Issei's armor break. Shrapnel of red metal flew everywhere, reformed, and shattered once more in rapid succession.

They flickered around the quad, destroying their surroundings with every contact. They never remained in the same place for too long.

[Papa! Make more of me! Use the Dragon Slayer!]

He didn't realize he was panting until he needed get Ludwig's attention. "Sir Siegfried! Launch when I'm done!"

It was a very vague directive. But Ludwig nodded. He shut his eyes briefly to gather his will and magic.

Yuuto had to do the same. His demonic energy was starting to make him woozy. And the pain throbbing throughout his body was agonizing. Excalibur was doing well to keep it as a dull ache and keep him standing, but it was accumulating too quickly. He only spent a few seconds in that field but it felt like his body had just been tossed into a blender.

"Blade Blacksmith!" he shouted and channeled as much power as he could into it. He brought Excalibur down into the ground. His head began to spin as his demonic energy surged down the blade and into the ground.

Hiltless blades popped out of the ground and flew up into the air. There were only a few dozen of them.

It was all that was needed. They stopped in their tracks, repositioned themselves to be pointing at Manuel, and vibrated with power.

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig as he flicked a finger.

The blades fired off as Ludwig's magic brought them forward. Silver streaks filled the air as they whistled for Manuel's back.

Issei knew what was coming before Manuel did. He purposely took in a few hits to adjust himself. His claw grabbed a hold of Manuel's wrist, effectively receiving a sharp blow to his waist in response, and twisted the arm against its wielder. He tried to pry it off, but something from Manuel's abilities kept it in place.

Manuel fought against the pain, twisted his body and dislocating his arm from Issei's grip, and swept his arm and leg around. He managed to deflect half of the blades, dodge a few others, and minimalize the damage to only a few cuts. The deepest cut was a gash tearing through his thigh.

Pain swept through Yuuto as soon as the mark glowed. It felt like his leg was on fire. He collapsed to the ground, unable to stand. A pool of blood began to soak his pants coming from his leg… at the same exact spot where one of his blades had pierced Manuel.

He checked his body quickly. Several gashes had appeared over his skin. It was as though his own blades had turned against him and cut into him as well. And there were nasty black and purple bruises where Manuel had deflected them with his forearm and shin.

"That mark!" he heard Ludwig gasp. The Dragon Slayer was also on his knees with his cane keeping him upright. Blood soaked his suit as sweat permeated his brow. "It's _his_ mark! He should be dead!"

Yuuto didn't understand.

Issei reached out for one of the blades. Steam sizzled from where the blade and his claw touched it. It could have been through Excalibur's holy properties or the influence from Ludwig's dragon slaying magic. But Issei let loose a growl, his power spiking in response, and brought the blade down to Manuel.

"Hyoudou, don't!" shouted Ludwig in panic.

"Transfer!" Issei shouted over Ludwig's voice. The spike in power had gone from Issei to the hiltless sword. It shimmered in crimson aura as it swept down.

Manuel reached over his shoulder and caught the blade in his palm, letting it bite into his skin before it could stab into his back. Power erupted. A wave of red burst outwards in an explosion. Shrapnel flew everywhere from both the Excalibur blade and from Issei's armor.

Yuuto heard Excalibur screaming in his head.

Manuel broke out of the cloud of dirt and dust first. His arms were hanging limply, one bruised and twisted from Issei's grip and the other bleeding and shredded from the sword. His mask shimmered and squirmed while the marks glowed fiercely.

A gust of red wind split the cloud. Issei's body hunched forward in pain before he steadied himself. His right arm was torn beyond recognition. Fingers were missing and the muscle was peeled back with bone and sinew pried forth. His armor did not replenish itself and the shredded chunks lining his shoulder had been turned black.

It didn't stop him from letting out a feral growl and increasing his power through the Boosted Gear. His arm twitched. Flesh started to mend itself in rapid succession.

"…You can survive the Mark," Manuel's voice was a low growl. "Death will not stop you, Dragon."

"Nothing will stop me from tearing you apart," Issei's voice was feral and consumed with rage. "You attacked my home. You hurt my friends. You killed my Queen. I don't see why I would stop."

His once dead arm curled up into a fist. Blackened flesh began to color. Scales began to form. The armor lit up and began to manifest.

"Then… I will drag you down with me," Manuel said. "All of you. You will not stop the Evensong from being fulfilled!"

Manuel spread his hands out. His power focused through each tip. Reality warped around him, blinked, and something came out of nowhere in a split second.

Heads floated around him with fresh blood dripping from spliced necks. They were the heads of his brothers.

With a few more twitches of his fingers, the heads disappeared. The only thing that remained were their eyes.

Manuel opened up his mouth, his jaw expanding wider than humanly possible, and inhaled with a moan that didn't belong in a human voice. Every single eye fell into his maw and swam down his throat.

His body began to spasm. The vessels squirmed. His neck snapped and limbs jerked. His mask flashed every conceivable emotion as well as those found only on the divine breed. His Aura became visible— it stretched out like black smoke and shone in the light.

 **"Do you know what I am?"** he asked with a voice of power fueled by the World.

His Aura slunk down to coat his arms. It became solid to form black coating. He wiggled his fingers around and flexed his arms, testing out his newfound abilities.

His mask sank into his skin, becoming the skull hidden behind his face… exactly like the Vampire's true form.

His eyes were completely black. They did not reflect the light. Rather, they soaked in the light, no, they warped reality like that of a black hole. Everything seemed to be drawn towards him. Even Issei had to plant his feet down as he felt a tug pull him forward. Even his draconian essence began to dwindle as it was being drank.

 **"I am a Hunter,"** Manuel stated so calmly in the same fashion one would share their boring profession. His eyes looked at Issei no more as a threat… but as a nuisance. A pest that needed to be exterminated.

A second Manuel appeared at his side, stepping out of his shadow. He wore the same exact clothes… but they were not ruined and his body was at its prime. He pulled down his cuffs and looked towards Yuuto.

A third came out in the exact same manner. But this one was rolling up his sleeves as he was taking cautious steps towards Ludwig.

The original Manuel raised his hands and curled his fingers. He took on a fighter's stance with dead eyes glaring at Issei. He nodded in professional respect… He was merely sharing formalities.

[Promotion: Rook Juggernaut—]

His transformation needed more time. The armor was starting to reform. It was in the midst of folding over for absolute defense when Manuel struck. He closed the distance without disturbing a single air molecule… and brought his fist across Issei's face.

It felt like he had been struck with the weight of the planet itself.

0-0-0

They had relocated to the church. No one was present since services weren't being held. It was the only place Akeno could think of where the enemy was least likely to find them. It was located on the outskirts of the city on an isolated little hill. The strange crossbreed of Miracles and Devilry lingered in the air, granting blessings of the Biblical God while permitting the acceptance of the Devils.

It was here where they licked their wounds and waited for the Predators to accomplish what they could not. A pregnant silence hung as they reflected on the engagement. They had thought they were winning. They had believed their training had paid off. They thought they could withstand anything Issei had to deal with long enough for him to arrive.

Josh and Manuel had crushed their beliefs.

There was also the death of Serene of Finland on their minds. It rattled them how one of the invincible Predators had fallen in battle. They had thought only one of their own kind could kill another. They had always been a force above and beyond measurement.

They felt out of their class by her death. The words of Josh rang. He said there was no way to train against those of their kind. There was no way to gradual grow a resistance. There is only _is and isn't._ Do or don't. Kill or be killed.

The one who had been most disturbed by this was Rias.

She fought to let it show. Her face was as hardened as one befitting of a King as she stared out the doorway. Her senses were extended to focus on her servants fighting, Issei and Yuuto. But her body language told another story. Her arms were folded around her waist, holding on tightly in cold comfort. Her shoulders were stiff while she shuffled her balance between each leg.

Waiting was possibly the worst part of it all.

"What a King I am…" the words slipped out of her voice before she could try to keep them back. They rolled out below her breath.

"This is something beyond your control, Rias," Sona said. She had been pacing back and forth near the doorway. Her glasses hung in a tightened grip, a sign she was stressed beyond words.

"There has to be _something_ I can do," Rias almost snapped. She bit her lip and tightened her grip around her arms. "I hate being like this. I don't want to be able to do nothing. I am King and this is my peerage. I have to be able to support my servants somehow…"

Sona stopped walking. Her voice was sharp, "Rias, it's because he is your servant did this happen."

Rias spun around, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Sona… You don't mean that, do you? How could you say that about him?"

"I warned you," Sona's voice spiked with a fury she struggled to keep down. "I told you when you resurrected him it was something beyond your means to control. Nothing but chaos has followed you since he became your servant. He hasn't been a Devil for half a year and look at what's happened."

"…You offered a trade," Rias countered. "You can't say any of that when all of this would have happened to you."

"This _has_ happened to me!" Sona snapped. "My peerage was attacked and I don't know if they're dead or dying! I'm trapped here waiting for the battle to finish when they might need immediate aid! I can't go to them! I washed my hands of Issei and look what happened still. His presence alone brought danger and cost all of us dearly."

Rias opened her mouth to retort.

"I watched you die, Rias," but Sona cut her off. "How did it feel when your heart was torn out of its chest and there was _nothing_ you could do about it? Do you know how I felt? How I couldn't save my friend from dying? How I couldn't save my peerage? How I'm _here_ and not by their side?"

Sona shuddered as she closed her eyes. She took a moment to recollect herself.

Her eyes threatened to break into tears when she looked back at Rias.

"I can't do this. I can't handle this. Rias, either he leaves or I do. I doubt he will leave Kuoh so… I will be going elsewhere."

Rias was quiet. Her mind failed to find the words wanting to express her feelings. She was caught dumbfounded by something she never believed her dearest friend would dare to say.

Sona had been closer to Issei than Rias ever had. She knew Issei far longer and had gotten to know him at a more intimate level. She understood Issei better than Rias did. It hurt to admit it.

"He's going to fight for you," Rias said quietly. "He's going to fight against one of his biggest fears for your sake. You couldn't have forgotten about the Rating Game against Rolan. Sona, even if you leave, you're still a part of his life. You mean that much to him."

"…I haven't forgotten," Sona looked away. Her voice sounded tired. "It's because he thinks so much about me I'm in this position. Rolan would have never looked my way if I hadn't been there for Issei. I would have been the sister of the Leviathan at best. He's only after my hand because I meant something to Issei."

Rias was starting to feel betrayed. Sona had been her childhood friend. They practically lived together. They fought over the smallest of things and their squabbles had been over who had the nicer things. They constantly battled over who had the better peerage.

This wasn't one of their regular arguments. Sona was stepping down. She was giving up. She wasn't trying to compete with Rias. She was genuinely trying to walk away as if Issei was a disaster. Trouble, yes. A handful, yes. But Issei had baggage. He had his own problems. He was a _person._

And Sona was treating him like a catastrophe.

"So that's it then?" Rias' voice shook with a mix of emotions. "You have a duty as an overseer of the city. You're going to abandon that because of something like this?"

Sona met her gaze and did not waver. "There was a time when the most we had to stress over was how to get you out of your engagement. We are not qualified to deal with forces of this magnitude. If it were anything else, I could call for my sister's aid. But something like this is over her head just as much. We are dealing with the world's Ultimate Killers and those who can match them."

"…I believe in Issei," Rias argued. "I believe in him. It doesn't matter where you go, Sona. People like him are never going to go away. You can't turn your head and pretend otherwise. You can't hide. They exist. I believe he will protect us all. My heart belongs to him. But I will not stand idly while he carries me. It's more than the duty as his King. It is my pride as a woman and as his lover. I will _not_ become a burden for him!"

"Who are you trying to convince, Rias? Me? Issei? Or yourself?"

Rias didn't have an answer to give.

She blinked as she felt something tug at the back of her mind. She turned around with her senses reaching out towards Kuoh Academy. She felt it before she saw it.

Issei planted his feet on the ground and deactivated his Gift of Flight. He stumbled forward, dismissing his armor just the same.

He looked battered and tired. His eyes were still sharp and wired with adrenaline. His face was bruised and bloodied and Rias could see the wounds visibly heal shut. He shrugged them off just as he would remove a coat that had been battered by a storm.

"I-Ise…" Rias whispered and rushed towards him. "Is it over? Where's Kiba?"

His eyes were full of purpose. He reached her with a voice full of urgency.

"Rias! Quick! There's no time to explain! I need to touch your breasts!"

She wasn't sure what it was that made her mind come to a fierce halt. Her consciousness reeled back as if her thoughts had been in a cross collision. She wasn't sure if it was his ridiculous request made so open in front of everyone present, or the timing of it, or the sheer volume of seriousness in his tone.

"…I'm going to need something," she said once her mind came back to reality. "You did win, right? This is a morale booster? A reward for your victory?"

"Gah!" Issei pulled his head back and tugged at his head. "Rias, there's really no time to explain! Look, Ludwig and that damn handsome are still fighting that guy. There's three of him now and they're fighting each of him at the same time. The voices in my head keep chanting something and the prophecy about this Oppai Dragon Tiamat told me has something to do with it. I need to embrace the best pair of breasts and I can't think of any better breasts than yours. Please!"

"Hyoudou…" Sona called out in a tired voice. She opened her mouth to let out what she wanted, paused, and shut her mouth. She sighed, shook her head, and looked away.

Issei watched her for a moment. His eyes remained focused on his task but the twitch in his lips gave him away. He didn't respond to Sona and instead returned to Rias.

Rias had approached him with concern and worry in her eyes. She lifted her hands, cupped the side of his head, and started to channel a healing spell.

"I-I'm serious!" Issei stammered. He clasped her hands and held them in a firm and tender grasp only the likes of a lover could. "Rias, I really can't explain it any further. I don't really get what's going on either. But I need this. Please."

Rias looked into his eyes and was lost in his determination. There was passion in his gaze. He meant every word. This was no deception. This wasn't a trick for him to cop a feel. He was asking her because he loved her and trusted her. He was asking her to do the same to him.

…It was the audacity of the request that had her thinking twice, though.

"Alright," she found herself saying. "It's only because I believe in you. And… I can't believe I'm actually doing this…"

Her fingers fumbled to undo the buttons of her blouse. Some of the buttons had already been torn off due to the battle. Getting it off wasn't the difficult part. Finding the fortitude to not change her mind was what made her fingers nearly impossible to move.

Her face was as scarlet as her hair by the time she pulled her blouse apart. Her back was to the doorway and only Issei was the only one to see. Her bra had been torn off when her heart had been ripped out. That was something she didn't have to worry about at least. She also didn't know whether he needed to feel her breasts through her clothes or without them.

"H-Hurry up," her voice shook with embarrassment. "Even if it's you… doing something like this is…"

Issei gulped. His eyes blinked a number of times while he took in the sight of her exposed breasts. It only made her heart race faster.

"S-Sorry…" he bumbled as he caught himself. "It's just… they're so awesome."

She scowled at him. Her face took on a deeper shade of red.

"R-Right then…" he nodded, stepped forward, and brought his hands up.

Electricity swept through him at his touch. His hands were rough with both callouses and scales. But she knew his touch. Her body remembered his touch intimately. When his hands cupped over her mounds it took everything in her power to not let loose the gasp.

His eyes were closed with deep focus. His fingers twitched, adjusting the grip and making tingles crawl up her spine. When he opened them again, his eyes had turned green. His wounds had sealed shut. His complexion had taken a new color as if he had taken a long rest.

"I love you, Rias," he said suddenly.

He moved backwards. His Gift of Flight lit up out of his back, pulling him away from her. His armor materialized next without a word. Their eyes never looked away until the helm covered his head. He turned and was gone in a flash.

"…I love you too," she said softly after him. Her heart was still racing from his touch as well as the deep confusion of the situation. While she knew Issei was a colossal pervert, he wouldn't have pulled something like this when lives were at stake.

She believed in him. And she believed whatever she had done had been enough to support him.

A small smile slipped as she covered herself. She didn't realize how ruined her blouse was until she tried to put it back on. The top half of her buttons had been gone. The blouse hung around her breasts, exposing a hefty sum of cleavage and midriff.

"…Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan?" questioned Sona.

Rias blinked and turned her head over her shoulder. "What's that now? Did you say something?"

"That chorus singing just now. Any clue what it was?"

"What chorus? What are you talking about?"

"You didn't hear that? None of that? It was practically screaming right in my ear."

0-0-0

"Hold him off, he says," snarled Ludwig in frustration. "One is easy. Three is difficult. But _five_? The prat better have an adequate plan."

Yuuto grunted as he brought Excalibur around to intercept another copy of Manuel. His vision was hindered with the amount of blood running down his eyes. He was running on nothing but instinct provided by his own senses and through the telling from the World. It saved his life multiple times. But he couldn't escape unscathed. As the battle went on both he and Ludwig were accumulating damages.

Ludwig had been forced to reveal his Gram Mk VII. The cane he constantly carried had three-quarters of its staff turned to shrapnel when he activated the magic of the blade. The cane itself was the container to his trademark spell. It combined his technique to create diamond dust of solidified moonlight and his concussion force (via _finger flicking_ ).

The blade itself was invisible. Rather, there was no blade. It was a spiral of diamond dust and kinetic energy rotating too fast to be seen. It carved through anything it touched. Even Manuel's techniques were bounced back as soon as Ludwig brought the tip of his cane around. Any gravitational attack was deflected as if he had swatted aside a rubber ball.

"Multiply, Multiply, Multiply!"

Spikes of diamond dust swept through the field. The ground circling Ludwig was no longer traversable as his spell spread out. Specks of dust floated in the air, protecting his vicinity in a net of moonlit crystal.

It wouldn't stop Manuel. It merely hindered his movements.

[Papa! Pull back!]

Yuuto didn't need the warning when everything within him and then some were screaming at him anyways. His body flickered just as two Manuels rushed him. Both moved to match his speed. The crystals under his feet parted as Ludwig allowed him entry in his retreat. The field of nails and spikes did little to stop the two copies from continuing their charge. Their feet crushed down on the crystal and tore their flesh, but they kept going.

It was fortunate only the original Manuel had the Mark. Yuuto would have lost his feet if these two could copy it as well.

"Excalibur!" he shouted and channeled his power through the blade. He was starting to lose his balance with how much blood he had lost. And his grip with the blade was faltering. He had cut through some of the tendons of his fingers.

"Multiply!" called Ludwig as he leapt forward. His own technique pushed him forward as diamond dust clasped onto his frame. The crystalized moonlight shimmered as he was propelled forward, protecting him from the shock of his own technique.

Ludwig slammed into the side of one Manuel with his cane pointed outward. Gram bit against the shield of the Gravity Acolyte and managed to push him back.

Yuuto unleashed a wave of holy-demonic energy fused by his Devilry and Excalibur. It slammed against the ground and swept forward. The second Manuel put his arms up in defense. The wave tore into his arms as the Corrupted Blade did its wonders and ate away at his techniques. But it would not cut all the way through to his chest.

[PAPA!] screamed Excalibur in his head.

He created another blade and brought it up to his flank just in time for another Manuel to nearly tear his head off. The large arm swept across the air and would have decapitated Yuuto with another gravity technique hadn't he reacted in time. Excalibur clashed against the layer of the manipulated gravitational field wrapping around his arm.

The force of the blow knocked Excalibur aside. Yuuto stumbled as the blade was retched out of his hand from dead fingers.

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig.

A grand force of gravitational force struck at Yuuto's chest. Manuel had brought his knee up in a combo. A compressed layer of diamond dust covered Yuuto's shirt instead, absorbing the sorcerous ability of the Acolyte. However, he was still knocked off his feet from the impact. Ludwig's spell might have negated the gravitational technique that would have disintegrated Yuuto, but it couldn't absorb everything.

Such as Manuel's impossible strength parallel to Issei's.

The world was a blur as Yuuto was flung back. White pain tore at his consciousness as soon as he slammed through something hard enough to break his bones. He couldn't see and it was the World screaming in his head to get back up that kept him aware of his surroundings.

He spat out a curse with blood as he willed himself out of the side of the school building. Everything in his body screamed in agony. He had to ignore it just as another Manuel was upon him. His hands were spread with fingers flexed. Dark energy surged from the tips.

The space Yuuto had been at had compressed into a size of a game marble. A whole wall of his school and the layers of earth underground had been gathered into a tightly packed sphere in an instant.

Yuuto felt the skin at his back peel off as he dashed away from that technique. Something wet, sticky, and hot was rolling down his back. His own blood, the back of his mind mused. He couldn't focus on it. He had to press forward.

[Papa, we can't do this any longer!] Excalibur pleaded with him. [You're too hurt. I can't focus on both attacking and maintaining your injuries. The enemy performed a burst evolution mid-battle! I can't keep up with his constantly changing algorithmic patterns!]

"We have to," Yuuto said through grinding teeth. He created another Corrupted Blade. It nearly fell out of his hands when he struggled to curl his fingers around it. "We have to stall at least until Issei returns. I can't turn back and flee just because this guy is tough. I am the Knight of Rias Gremory. I am her Siege Perilous! I won't be able to face her if I run away now."

"Your honor is admirable," said one Manuel as he came out of the back of another.

"But it holds no merit in the hunt!" said another from within Yuuto's flank.

Yuuto spun and swung Excalibur around. The blade did not have the speed or strength as he had earlier. This Manuel had been able to catch it with a pinch of his fingers and palm.

The World stopped supporting him suddenly. The echoing screams of the beast at the end was silenced as well as the whisperings of his opponent's ploys.

He was shoved back by a burst of holy magic. The Corrupted Blade sparkled and transformed. The little girl that was Excalibur manifested instead with her palm pointed at Yuuto. Energy buzzed out of her palm from the blast she had used to get him away.

Her dress was torn and she looked as bruised and bloodied as he felt. Still, her eyes were full of tears and she held a small smile.

He felt something tear inside of him when he watched Manuel swing her around by the hem of her dress and slam her to the ground. The sickening sound of muscle and organs squishing and bones cracking reached Yuuto. Blood splattered and flesh parted by the pressure of the impact.

Excalibur's body faded.

Yuuto tried to reach out to her. She was there within him still. Their connection hadn't been terminated… but it had been weakened. Excalibur was badly hurt. She didn't have the means to hold her physical form nor would she be able to help him in this fight.

"That honor has made you helpless, _Siege Perilous_!" Manuel roared. He spread his arms out and gathered his energy. Pours of gravitational influence warped reality at his command. Black energy wrapped over his hands like gloves.

He punched the air in front of him.

Yuuto raised a hand and demanded the presence of a magical shield. It might as well have been made out of paper with how easily it was penetrated. It did nothing to dampen the blow. The full force of the strike had hit his body. He remembered spinning, blinking in and out of consciousness and pain, and the world turning red.

He was on his side when next he realized. He tried to get up. He fell back to the ground when his arm had failed him.

No. His right arm was missing.

He struggled to get up. Pain lanced through him. He couldn't breathe. Something was digging through his right lung. He coughed up blood through a mouth that couldn't shut. His jaw was hanging open. He couldn't see out of his right eye— he wasn't even sure if the organ was even there.

Three Manuels towered over him.

One of them put the heel of his boot to Yuuto's head, pressing down and applying agonizing pressure. All it would take was a thought to crush him.

In the back, Ludwig was being overwhelmed by another half-dozen Manuels. He fought ferociously to get to Yuuto but was endlessly being held back. His spells were flying everywhere, countering and pushing the gravitational obstructions. But they continued to push him back just the same.

He wouldn't be able to make it in time.

"That's one head," the three Manuels said at once.

Yuuto felt unbelievable pressure… and then nothing.

He almost thought he was dead until the dull throbbing of his previous pains reached his mind. His heart was still beating. He was still alive.

[Usurpation: Queen Alice Hunter!]

"How about three instead?!" Issei roared in defiance as he swept through all three Manuels simultaneously.

His armor had vanished as soon as he flew in. Replacing it was… crimson fabric. A coat hung over his shoulders trimmed with black and emerald gems. Leather gloves and boots donned his hands and feet with jasmine plating over his joints. A crimson and black mask covered his face, exposing all else.

His power did not wane. His presence alone felt as magnanimous as it always was. He was a walking force of nature just as the sun was a brilliance in the sky. But no matter how hard Yuuto would try, he could not feel the draconian energy from Issei that normally poured out of his body. He did not feel the rampaging wanton of destruction ready to be let loose.

This… felt like the eye of the storm. It was the most calm and center of his power.

Every copy of Manuel turned around to gaze at Issei. More began to appear from his return. Techniques were being crafted while others started to pace forward to pummel him in hand-to-hand combat.

Issei took a step forward. His foot slid inches across the concrete.

In the next instant, thirteen Manuels were gone. There was no fancy footwork, maneuverability, flashy dragon attack, or even a single punch thrown.

Issei… had simply walked through them. His presence alone dismissed them, making them disappear. He had traversed through them, ignoring their attacks. Nothing they did could touch him.

"Vorpal… you're almost unfair," Issei gave something between a sigh and a bitter chuckle.

Issei moved again. His body wasn't a blur with heightened speed. He was more of a phantom, constantly appearing and vanishing faster than the blink of an eye. Every copy of Manuel on the field was disrupted. Not a single one of them remained within the span of a few microseconds.

The only one that remained was the original Manuel. His eyes were wide but not in shock or fear. He glowered as he recognized a challenge— someone who dared to oppose him rather than a sport.

"I'm back, you damn fuck!" Issei shouted and came at Manuel.

The impact of the first blow sent Manuel stumbling backwards. The Mark branded on his forehead lit up bright enough to leave spots in vision… but nothing happened. There was no retaliation. Whatever curse sent by the Mark did not touch Issei.

That was when Manuel's eyes shifted from glowering to genuine shock.

Issei came at him again. Manuel surged out his energy to stop him. His limbs lashed out as his gravitational manipulation warped the space around them. But they were stopped before they could be unleashed.

Issei's hand caught Manuel's fist. All of the power the Gravity Acolyte had gathered simply vanished into nothingness. It was as if it never existed in the first place.

"This is for my friends!"

He brought his fist around. Manuel's head snapped to the side as blood and teeth flew out. His body hunched sideways. He spun back around for a counter, but was parried by Issei before the attack could gain momentum.

"This is for my Queen!"

He brought his fist upwards, forcing Manuel's head to snap back. More blood flew. He stumbled back but was kept in place by the grip of Issei's hand against his.

His face was ruined. He spat blood as his skin began to chip away like paint. His mask was poking through with cracks starting to adorn.

Issei drew his fist back. Crimson energy began to spike at the tip of his knuckles.

"And this is for—"

His crimson garments fell apart. He stood in nothing more than a pair of silk pajamas.

He looked up at Manuel through dumbfounded eyes. His fingers were still gripping around Manuel's fist but lacked the strength he had before.

"…You talk too much," was all Manuel said as he peered down.

Issei tried to get away. His wings lit up. His body jerked back.

But Manuel had reversed the grip on his hand. He wasn't willing to let go.

Issei's body crashed to the floor by an invisible force. His legs snapped in two when trying to fight against it. The ground cratered as his body was forced down flat.

Manuel let loose a howl of challenge as he brought his fist down onto Issei. The ground erupted with concrete shrapnel and blood. Issei's body jerked after the audible crunch of his broken body.

The Gravity Acolyte continued, swinging his fists down hard enough to quake the earth.

"Multi—"

"I've had enough of you, magus!" roared Manuel as he swiped his hand across the air.

Ludwig's spell was halfway completed before the space around him compressed. The diamond dust could not set in time. Crystalized moonlight was pressed against his body. Ludwig let out a silent roar of agony as he struggled to keep himself upright. Blood oozed out of his nostrils as his halfhearted spell began to fail him.

Crimson flames lashed out from where Issei lay. They swirled around Manuel's form but could not reach him. His own power was keeping it at bay.

"Why will you not die?!" Manuel snarled and brought his boot down.

The earth shook once more as he repeatedly stomped on Issei's body. He didn't stop. His face twisted to outrage with every repeated motion.

"Why won't you die?! Your body is no more! Your power has failed you! What is it that keeps you intact?! This is more than the nature of a Dragon!"

What happened next was… indescribable.

Ludwig held… nothing. It had once been his cane but now all that remained was nothing. He lifted it over his head with Manuel's gravitational field disappearing. The air became stale. Reality became stagnant. The World could be heard screaming even without the access of a Predator's perk.

"Do you know who I am?!" Ludwig shouted with a cry of fury. He stood up with his feet firmly planted. The handicap of his limp did not bother him for this instance. "I am Ludwig von Siegfried. _I_ will be the one to vanquish Master Hyoudou! If I cannot, then I will take you to the Abyss with me, wretched Hunter!"

He paced forward. A pace became a dash. He moved sloppily from his wounds and his weak leg. But he moved forward with the full intent to kill. He moved with a purpose.

He moved as a man ready to destroy himself to kill the enemy.

Manuel's head snapped around as Ludwig approached. He brought his hands up and channeled his power forwards. That which doesn't exist, held in Ludwig's hands, removed the assault from existence.

"[BALMUNG]!" Ludwig shouted and thrusted his instrument forward.

Everything that existed between the two of them no longer was. There wasn't even a gap made as Ludwig's instrument traveled forward. There wasn't nothingness just as there wasn't existence. There wasn't _was._

There was only the brief flash of light made by Manuel's Mark. But then it faded out. Its curse did not travel through.

Just as with existence, so too was Manuel removed.

…And with him was…

…Who had just used that attack?

There was no evidence to prove there had been anyone else other than Issei and Yuuto.

0-0-0

"Hey, so, uh, thanks for saving my ass back there," Gabe said.

Vali turned to look over his shoulder. He waved a hand dispassionately, "It wasn't really my call so don't say thanks to me. Sinner said you could be of some use in the future. I was only doing what I was told."

"Sinner, huh?" Gabe made a note of the name for later. "So what's this all about? And, uh, sup with the kid?"

"…She wanted to see the notorious Red Blur again," Vali found it hard to say those words.

"I, wished to observe his recent growth," Ophis stated in her monotone voice. "He has yet to achieve… Potential. Tiamat failed to properly instruct him. Perhaps, I, shall instruct him instead."

Gabe felt incredulously creeped out by this little girl. Never mind her outrageous attire. He wasn't into little girls and he wanted to take his shirt off to cover her. She was dressed in a frilly white and black gothic dress with her chest _completely exposed_ save for two strips of black tape over her nips.

He blinked. He could have sworn he saw her wearing a crimson jacket instead. But when he looked again, she was back in her black, white, and, oh look, lavender ribbons.

He was creeped out by this girl because… she didn't _feel_ right. Her eyes had no soul in them. Fuck, even the soulless fucks his brothers had summoned had more life than her. She was really more so a walking mass of raw energy too high in frequency for him to sense. His Aura detection skills couldn't get a read on her.

She also made mention of a few words with capitals. Potential, Predator, Twilight, Nothing, Sinner, and such others. Gabe could _hear_ the capital letters in each of them. And every word had a unique gravitas to them.

"I thought you said he was the enemy," Vali said to her.

She continued to lead them both through the vast open nothingness. Gabe couldn't see anything beyond the girl leading them. He also felt if he lagged behind he would be swept away to be forgotten for all eternity.

"He, is not my enemy," she blinked slowly. "They, are not the enemy. Chase and his… friends… are reminders."

"Reminders to what?" Vali asked.

She looked up at him with her ageless eyes. "Why I am no longer Queen."

Vali frowned. He didn't understand it other than it had something to do with her grudge against Great Red. This whole talk about Primordial and Original Lawmakers was certainly a breakthrough to him. And here he had thought the Predators were the greatest fighting force. Ophis was practically a Predator to the Predators on the food chain.

But they were the reason why she was demoted to second best? How could something so low in the status quo could bring someone like her down a peg?

"You, refused the Mark," she stated next. Her eyes lifted up to his brow.

Vali shook his head and put his hands into his jacket pocket. "It's not my style to rely on others like that. It's the same reason why I didn't accept your snake. I plan on getting stronger through my own merits. If what you said is true… then I am just as powerful as the Red Dragon Emperor."

"That, is for Entropy to decide," she stated simply and resumed her walk.

Gabe cocked a brow. It was a conversation he couldn't understand because he wasn't a part of the picture. But he memorized everything shared for future reference.

He had his own means of finding things out.

0-0-0

"I don't understand!" bellowed Breast Lover.

"Face it," Rump Smacker, her ever so baneful rival and archenemy, was the first to criticize her. He jabbed a finger across the table in her direction. "You. Were. Wrong."

"No," she growled. "I wasn't! Even you admitted to the merits of my research. Look here, I have proof my investigation is accurate!"

It was evidence she had discovered beforehand and had presented it to the other Lords of the Debauch in an earlier session. _High School DxD_ , the testaments written by the prophet Ishibumi, lay sprawled across the table. The sacred texts had been found in a dimension belonging to the 3x3 Kings' ream, the realm in which her latest inquiry had lived among.

She picked up three of the books, pulled them open with tabs kept, and pointed at each section. "Look here! In his battle against Kuroka does the first sign appear! He achieves his [Balance Break]. In this one here, against the Hero Faction in Kyoto he unlocks the [Illegal Move Triana]! And in this volume against the Grim Reapers does he find the energy to spam his Bishop Dragon Shot!"

"We've seen these before," Novella stated. For someone of his office, he had only gotten past the first volume and refused to read further on. He claimed it was below his palette. "You said all this a while back. Does that realm not have something relating to infinite possibilities? Perhaps you simply have the wrong child of legend."

"I am not wrong," she argued. She took a deep breath to recollect her thoughts. "I ventured into his dreams and conversed with him personally. He has heard the prophecy. His heart resonates with it. He _is_ the Oppai Dragon."

Fertility raised a hand to stop her. "Your interference alone contaminated the experiment. His recent ascension was a byproduct of your influence. Had he been the real Oppai Dragon then he would have maintained his form without restriction or achieve a new level of existence entirely."

She bit her lip and sat back down. "Lord Fertility, I will not stop my investigation. But it appears I will not have the support of any of you any further. Therefore, I am taking a leave of absence until I return with something that will convince you otherwise."

"Breast Lover," Bender leaned forward with his voice on edge. "Think about what you're doing. This is just some story we told the kids. The Oppai Dragon isn't real. These books you found? They're probably just stories like ours. Don't throw away everything chasing after a dream."

"It's more than just a dream, Bender. You've all seen it but are too afraid to admit it. This is what we've been looking for! And now that it's here you're all going to turn a blind eye and pretend it's all a sparse. I cannot work with a staff that does not believe in me."

Silence spread throughout the table.

She was entirely sure this boy, Issei Hyoudou, _this_ Issei Hyoudou, was the Oppai Dragon of legend. This was to be their salvation. But even legends need a little help, it would seem.

Her calculations were precise. All the evidence pointed towards him. It was more than scientific fact. It was a feeling deep within her core that told her he was the one.

Whatever Fertility said was wrong. She hadn't done anything to contaminate his mind or fiddle with his Quantum Identity Cortex. She merely lulled him into a dream, let his own mind create the world, and recited the sacred oath whenever she could.

She was astounded when she discovered he had already heard it. He was familiar with it! His heart resonated with it! He _was_ the Oppai Dragon.

But what confused her the most was his Switch Princess. According to legend, the Oppai Dragon could not achieve his full potential without needing to draw strength from his Switch Princess. This maiden would act as a key. Her investigation had pointed her towards Rias Gremory.

Issei loved her breasts. He always compared others to hers. And he loved her dearly.

The holy texts according to Ishibumi only solidified her suspicions.

The Lords of the Debauch had watched when Issei performed the rite. She knew she was right when everything was in the green. Issei had unlocked his potential and had achieved a new set of power.

…But why did it all come crashing down so suddenly? He hadn't access to it longer than ten seconds when it all fell apart. It crashed so hard he couldn't even draw anything out of his Boosted Gear at its base setting.

It meant Rias Gremory _wasn't_ the Switch Princess.

But that couldn't make sense. _Everything_ pointed to her being the Switch Princess. And if she couldn't… then who was?

With or without the support of her coworkers, Breast Lover was going to find out.

0-0-0

It was a fine morning. [Chronicle] had the morning paper, the screams of the damned echoed in his chambers, the numbers in the reports were in the positives (for once), and the newest intern had made a better brew of coffee than the last one.

It _was_ a fine morning, he repeated.

"Your Most Dubiousness! Look what came in the mail today!"

…Until his personal secretary kicked open the door to his office (literally kicking and breaking it _again_ ) with a large box in her small arms.

"Pluto!" he snarled and threw the paper at her. "What have I told you about the door?!"

"But! Look! Mail!" the former Original lifted the box over her head and dumped the contents onto his desk. Everywhere. They knocked over his knickknacks and spilt his coffee over the reports.

[Chronicle] tried to fight back the migraine threatening to burst. Oh how he missed the other Pluto so much. The god of death might not have known how to properly fill out the boxes in his reports… or punch in his timecard, but at least he didn't ruin the morning _every single time._

He scolded himself once more. Oh how he regretted purchasing the contract of this little shit. He thought since she was once an Original she would have been a great asset to his workings. He should have dug into it a little deeper and found out _why_ she was no longer an Original.

Pluto, the Planetary Representative to all things Mischief, had 'accidentally' let loose an evil so grand not even the mightiest of the omniverse could oppose him… save one. And that one guy ended up getting sealed into the same prison after the conflict.

"Don't worry, I can fix this!" she said while fidgeting around after watching the mess she made grow. She looked around, found the drapes, and flung the box over her shoulder to fetch them.

[Chronicle] watched as the box landed on his shelf and crushed the jars of souls of his prized victims. Without such a vessel to keep them sustained, the ethereal material dispersed into nothingness. The souls of the most genius, benevolent, wicked, and (a guilty pleasure) comedic were lost. Forever.

"You've done enough!" he said and caught the little girl by the nape of her neck. He lifted her off the ground and flung her back over his desk. "What in damnation did you bring me? The mail?! Couldn't it have waited until a little longer? I haven't had my first round of torturing yet…"

He grumbled and reached for his mug of coffee. Oh. Wait. The mug was shattered and its contents were getting all over his computer.

It was a good morning too…

"I bring you souls, sir!" Pluto said cheekily. She gestured to the desk and he almost feared that gesture alone would bring about a new calamity.

He growled and flicked his hand through the contents with his bony fingers. Souls, she said. They weren't really but it was so much better than saying Quantum Identity Cortex. Even QIC was more winded than souls.

There was a difference between the two. A soul was a flimsy substance made out of raw energy. It had the full consciousness and memories of those who owned them. Most beings of any World would claim the soul was the most vital part of the body. What folly. They were only a combination of knowledge and power. Books and batteries, specifically.

 _These,_ however, were Quantum Identity Cortexes. These were harder to come by. They weren't just mere books and batteries. They were the operating system of anything that existed within the 3x3 Kings Realm. It was a processor that analyzed, replicated, recorded, and shared information between the host, the World they dwelled upon, and the entirety of the omniverse.

Still, [Chronicle] didn't fully care for the plebian QIC Pluto had brought. Most of them belonged to worthless Devils and humans. Victims to some school attack in Japan, he acknowledged. There were a few Acolytes as well; the instigators of the assault.

…But… hold on… This one right here…

He lifted the device up to his eye. Or at least where an eye should have been if his vessel had any flesh to begin with.

"Amelia Rosewood…" he breathed out in delight. "Good. Very good."

He waved a hand. Pluto obeyed the silent command on bouncing feet, just as happy he had been pleased. She scooped up the rest of the QIC in her arms and hurried out of the room to deposit them in their rightful reserves.

[Chronicle] eyed the device a little longer before opening the secret compartment and placing Amelia Rosewood with… the others.


	9. Pure Utter Khaos

**AN: I'll be updating this until I finish the arc... or until something else distracts me. Which usually happens. But I'm on a roll right now so let's see how far I can get.**

 **The last scene of the chapter was a promise to somebody. Several somebodies. Certain somebodies down in the Traveler's Roost.**

 **Also, no, I won't be getting a just so I have a reason (arm tied behind my back) to post chapters faster. I prefer to do it at my own pace. So, please, stop sending me PMs about bribing me. It actually does the opposite of convincing me.**

 **And... *sigh* no, I'm not going to make a story with Jaun from RWBY as a Predator. That world isn't dangerous enough to need one.**

 **Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

Something writhed in his stomach. It thrashed around as it away at him just as much as it was mending him. More than his body was being regenerated. The thing within his self was reaching out into the infinite nothingness, drawing out raw existence, molded it, and placed it into his core. It worked tirelessly like a madman bent on completing a jigsaw puzzle. Only, the man in question was willing to go as far as to mold his own pieces.

This had been the second time this had happened. Issei should have been dead. It was more than his durability as a Dragon. He had confronted against something that could be considered his equal, preserved, and beaten him at the last instance. His resistance wasn't strong enough to have him survive.

It was the thing in his stomach that refused to accept his demise. It lashed out at existence, defying the World like a woman scorned.

From the vast nothingness did it create the missing fragments wrought from Issei's core. It went deeper than his soul. He felt like the thing that made him be recognized as an existing entity was being repaired. The thing in his stomach was punching in a code, reconstructing an algorithm, inserting the notes of a symphony, and filling in the missing pages to a novel all at the same time.

He felt due to the progress he lost something. If his core was like a giant puzzle and the thing slithering around within him was crafting pieces out of nothingness… some of those pieces had to be blank. The thing didn't know him as much as it thought it did. It failed to bring him back one hundred percent.

He wasn't sure how long the process took. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours. He could only relax when it was finished. The thing wrapped itself around in a coil and slumbered back within him. He could feel the wrongful energies flow through his blood. It felt draconian in nature. But it also felt like the cosmic substance that made up Tiamat's true form as [Twilight].

His body was sore and exhausted. His muscles ached. His stamina was too low for him to move willingly. Only the chance of the World calling him into action could get him to stir.

And it was the World that kept him alert. While his body had shut down and rested, he watched through his other senses and through the telling of the World around him.

Sensing the fight had reached its conclusion, the two Knights of the Round performing damage control outside of Kuoh Academy had entered. Lancelet and Morgan had absorbed the condition of the conflict for a brief moment before going immediate to work. They checked on the injuries of Issei and Yuuto, called… Saji of all people, and told him to pass on a message.

Issei took notice of how Rias was the first to arrive through a teleportation circle. She hadn't bothered to wait for Akeno to gather the rest of the club. She struggled for a moment as to whether she should attempt to treat Issei's or Yuuto's wounds first. He could almost hear her inner voice going around in a panic.

"I'm fine, Buchou," in the end, it was that damn handsome who said such. Issei could hear the gentlemanly smile. "My injuries can wait. Please see to Issei-kun first."

Rias hesitated once more. Yuuto was just as broken as Issei felt. His clothes were drenched in his own blood, he was missing an arm, covered in gashes and swelling bruises… but, geez, couldn't the enemy have hit his face? The damn handsome was still _handsome._

…Wait. Enemy?

Issei tried to reach out for that thought. He couldn't remember who he was fighting against. He remembered being matched equally as a Predator. Had it been another of their kind? The memory slipped him. He was too tired to focus on it.

Rias was at his side with a healing spell active. It did nothing more than warm him considering the thing in his stomach had finished its treatment.

"Ise, can you hear me?" she asked in a worried voice.

He tried to assure her. He wanted to get up. He wanted to see her face, give her a smile, maybe a thumbs-up, and tell her everything was okay.

He didn't. The best he could do was let out a rumbling noise at the back of his throat. Even that took a great deal of effort.

He felt her lift him up just enough for his head to rest against her lap. Something warm and wet fell on his face. She brushed it off with her fingers and moved then to comb his hair.

"…You idiot," she sobbed softly. "Genshirou-san said you were in critical condition. I was so worried for you. I feared the worst. I thought it was like with the Vampire all over again."

Per se, he couldn't hear her words. But he could sympathize with her intentions and emotions. It wasn't simply through his nature as a Dragon. He understood now being able to read her so clearly was a property of his Gift of Seduction. It allowed him to understand her at a more intimate level.

He heard her emotions. He felt her turmoil, her panic, and her blissful relief. All of them were wrapped around the love she had for him.

The others showed up almost seconds afterwards. They went to work immediately where it was needed. It wasn't Asia who treated Yuuto's wounds. It had been Akeno. She had done her best, had even managed to reattach his severed limb, but couldn't completely heal him. While her healing techniques were marvelous, she was still nowhere near as efficient and potent as Asia's Twilight Healing.

Sona stood there for a moment, soaking in the damages just as how one would soak in the rain. It battered against her. Her shock made her mind freeze and emotions flail.

It was Saji who pulled her out of it, urging her to follow him. They moved swiftly to the western corridor of the main school building, not too far off from the student council office.

…And not too far off from a few signatures Issei recognized.

The rest was simply procedure. The Knights of the Round took charge, directing everyone to gather what they could and to vacate the premises. The school wasn't safe simply because the enemy had been vanquished. Two of the world's most prime fighting force had been brought to their knees. This was when the group was at their weakest. It wasn't a gross underestimation to say a breeze could knock them over.

It was Rias and Morgan who helped move Issei's body. Her Devil strength allowed her to carry most of his weight and to put him in a seat of the vehicle the Knights had arrived in. His head rested against the door until Rias climbed in with him and let his head rest on her lap once more.

Morgan and Lancelet jumped in— the former driving with the latter taking shotgun. The vehicle roared to life as the four of them took off.

During the entire trip, he felt Rias' power surging in and out. She was frazzled and on edge. She was furious just as much as she was afraid. She wanted to vent her anger on the first thing that dared to impede the vehicle… but was also terrified it would burden Issei as he was now.

They arrived at the Hyoudou residence without problems. Akeno had met them there, assisted Rias, and the two of them carried him into the house.

…It took them _way_ too long for them to reach his room. Like, seriously, at least ten minutes to get to his room. It also didn't feel like his room. He must have been more out of it than he realized. The global positioning sensor in his head felt off. As if his bed was thirteen meters to the left where it should have been.

They put him into bed. It was Rias who took off his dirtied clothes, returned shortly after stepping out, and wiped his body clean. She worked with the tenderness of one who wished she could do so much more. He could hear the pain in her heart.

She placed the sheets over him, made sure he was comfortable with his positioning, and then kissed his brow. Her lips lingered on him.

She muttered something to him in a low voice.

Then, she left the room for him to rest.

0-0-0

"How is he?" Akeno asked once Rias had entered the living room. She had a cup of tea ready for her King.

Rias took it with both hands and had a small sip. "Exhausted. He couldn't move. His face was sunken and there were heavy bags on his eyes. Whatever it was… it took every ounce of strength out of him."

"He'll be all right," Akeno assured. "Ise-kun is strong. Give him some time and he'll be back on his feet. He's been through worse."

Those that were less occupied had taken space in the living room. Yuuto sat next to Koneko on the couch and Akeno kept her hands busy with the concoctions set on her push cart. The Knights of the Round were in the back of the room with Lancelet on the phone and Morgan listening on the conversation.

As far as Rias knew, Asia was still incapacitated. She could only guess Irina and Xenovia had taken her to her room and were remaining there. Sona was still with Saji checking on the damages on the school and seeing to her peerage.

Yuuto spoke up from his place on one of the couches, "I'm actually a little jealous Issei-kun is getting so much attention. I'm hurt too, Buchou…"

Though there was a smile on his face, the tinge of bitter pain rang through his voice.

"I'm sorry, Kiba," Rias crossed the room and knelt in front of her Knight. She placed her cup down on the small table and placed her hands over his. She was careful not to aggravate the wounds. "You stayed behind and fought just the same. I was just as worried about you as I was with him. You're both my precious servants."

The smile in Yuuto shifted. His hands twitched in an attempt to return her affections. His fingers refused to budge from damaged nerves. "I understand. I'm only teasing, Buchou. I know how much Issei-kun means to you."

"That doesn't excuse any act of favoritism," she sighed. "You're all my servants. You all mean the world to me. I am more than just your King… You're all my family…"

Her voice trailed off as she looked up at him.

"Kiba… are you still my servant?"

His eyes widened slightly before sharpening with recognition. His smile became a thin line as he answered in a strong tone. "Rias, nothing has changed. I am still your Knight. I only regret not telling you about… my condition."

"We can talk about that later," she assured. "Right now, how are you?"

He nodded and leaned back in his seat. "I'm okay. These injuries are nothing. My pride has only been hurt, Buchou. Issei-kun and I couldn't defeat the enemy. I… can't tell you how it all ended. I'm not sure if he left or Issei-kun managed to do something. I can't even remember who we were fighting."

"The brothers of the Vampire," Akeno said in a low and tense voice. "We managed to kill all of them… Most of them. That boy who was talking to me. I didn't see him since the start."

"But who was Issei-sempai and Yuuto-sempai fighting?" asked Koneko. She had her legs up on the couch while holding herself together. "It wasn't that boy. It was… someone else."

Her face scrunched up in an attempt to recall. Her eyes narrowed as time went on.

Rias frowned, stood, and began to pace around the room. She was about to answer them when the answer itself didn't come to her. She couldn't recall who it was they had been forced to flee from. She couldn't remember a face, a name, nor a reason why they had fled from him in the first place.

…Had it even been a he?

"Memory alteration?" speculated Akeno. "Could he have infected us with something while we were fighting the rest?"

"If it is something, then it would have to be something we can't detect," Rias answered.

"Pardon me, Lady Gremory," Lancelet spoke up. She tucked her phone into her pocket and entered the center of the room. "I couldn't help but hear. Your problem matches our own."

"…But you weren't there," Rias blinked. "If I may ask, and I am grateful for your assistance just now but… what exactly are you doing here?"

Lancelet and Morgan exchanged looks.

"Just that," Morgan stated. "We don't know. We were contacting HQ for a review."

"The Round has had its fair share of engagements against magicians and psychics," Lancelet explained further. "We have a contingency plan for this. Our suits record and stream information directly to our base in the British Isles. Morgan and I were checking our directive and any following orders."

"…And?" asked Rias.

"…They said they would get back to us," Lancelet said in an almost worried tone. She kept her head up high so to not create a panic. "Our orders are to remain on standby until Sir Galahad calls for us."

"Lady Gremory," Morgan spoke up, "would you happen to have any clue what we're doing here? In Japan, I mean. Anything you or your servants can share could help."

Rias turned her head and asked a silent question to her peerage.

"You're here because of Issei-sempai," answered Koneko.

Morgan pulled a small notepad from her breast pocket and began to take notes. "The Dragoon Predator? For what reason would George—"

" _Sir_ Galahad," corrected Lancelet as if she had done it a hundred times and planned on doing it another hundred.

But Morgan continued without a hitch, "—send two Knights to the Far East just for that? I am assuming we are on friendly terms. Friendly enough to grant permission into his threshold."

"You wanted to secure friendly relations with Ise-kun and the British Isles," Akeno answered next. "It happened after the Rating Game against Raizer Phenex. That was when Ise-kun introduced himself as a Predator to the Devil community."

"It certainly frightened every major faction in Japan," Yuuto said next. "The Youkai faction up in Kyoto are still in a frenzy last I heard. The Church also sent Saint Serene of Finland when they had business in Japan because of Issei-kun. Think you're here because of any of those reasons?"

Morgan was silent as she scribbled notes.

"That makes no sense," Lancelet curled a finger below her chin in thought. "Why would Sir Galahad deploy us to Japan then? Perhaps this forgotten suspect was a target we've marked? No, if a Knight was deployed then we would have had enough intel about him. We would have known he was enough to oppose a Predator. It would take the entirety of the Round to suppress such a force."

Morgan continued to scribble, jotting down Lancelet's ramblings as well. "We are here for the Dragoon. He isn't a target. We're friendly enough to not be spying on him. Only two Knights have been deployed, meaning combat isn't the prerogative.

"…Two female Knights. Two of the youngest, not too far off at the Dragoon's age. And we are to ensure the security of the British Isles… by any means necessary."

Morgan folded her notebook and tucked it away. She gave her partner a knowing glance through her half-lidded eyes.

Lancelet blinked a few times and raised a brow. They stared at another. Morgan's expression never shifted.

It came to Lancelet like a slap across the face. Her face flushed red as her eyes widened. She stepped away from her partner while wrapping her arms over her chest. "N-N-No! You can't mean that! I'm sure Master Hyoudou is a gentle soul! If we talk to him then I am sure he wouldn't assault the British Isles. He's the Red Blur! A champion of the people! We don't need to go as far as to…"

She swallowed, unable to finish the sentence.

Morgan looked away, tapping her cheek with a thoughtful expression. "We're not getting any younger. I wouldn't mind giving birth to a dragon."

"DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?!"

"That's… something you are going to take up with him," Rias said sharply after taking in a deep breath. She folded her arms under and stood her ground. "I've welcomed you here because you came to our aid and assisted transporting my boyfriend. But understand I am showing my gratitude as the overseer of the city. You are still enlisted officers of a foreign military. Your reasons for being here can be reviewed for another time. Right now, I must ask you not leave the building until we can sort out this mess."

"We understand," Lancelet said crisply. Though, it didn't solidify her words with how her face was still burning hot. "We shall be on our best behavior and act according as Knights of the Round. You have our thanks, Lady Gremory."

"…What she said," Morgan said bluntly while pointing at Lancelet.

Lancelet, in turn, glowered at her partner.

"I know you'll be upset, Rias," Akeno spoke up. "But while you were taking care of Ise-kun, I got in contact with your brother. I told him everything. He will be here before the hour is up."

Rias' face turned white. But she sighed and shook her head. "No, you did what was best. Thank you, Akeno. I hadn't thought about getting in touch with him. Truth be told… I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing right now."

"You did everything needed," Akeno assured. "You saw to it we were all taken care of in this moment of crisis. You acted as a King should. It's only my duty to support you as your Queen. Even if it means stepping on your toes every now and then."

The glowing light of a magic circle forming seized their attention. It placed everyone on edge when they didn't recognize the patterns nor could they recognize the energy signature. The crest at the center didn't belong to any Devil family and the magic being used tingled their skin just as irritably as sunlight did.

Yuuto stood with his eyes hardened for combat. His injuries did not hinder him as he stood before his King with his hands at the ready. He could not call upon Excalibur but he would not stand idly at the presence of another potential threat.

The atmosphere became tense as the circle finished forming and illuminated the room with daylight. A portal had been opened and several figures were starting to come out.

Everyone in the room readied their selves. Magic and Devilry was being drawn. Even the Knights of the Round took positions, drawing firearms and taking stances.

The one who had come out wasn't an enemy. It was Richard Royals.

"Whoa there," he said; he raised his hands after seeing everyone. "I ain't some bugger. I came as soon as I was told. I come offering any help you guys might need."

At his side was the same clockwork doll. The gears on her exposed arms clicked away in a rhythm. They tightened when she swiveled her head around to take note of everyone in the room.

The other at his opposite side was a woman with blue hair and blue eyes. She was just as tall as the Archmage and dressed in a formal suit and skirt. Her features were sharp. Not analytical, but feral and dangerous. She was a woman constantly on edge.

"Where is Ddraig?" she asked Rias directly.

Rias frowned. Though the Archmage she could lower her guard against, she did not know this woman. She couldn't trust her. "Do you mind if I ask who you are first?"

"Yes," she responded coldly. Her eyes narrowed. "Where is my brother?"

Brother? She was the brother to… Ddraig? Ddraig, as in the Dragon that was once imprisoned within the Boosted Gear?

"This is Tiamat," Richard stepped up, placing a hand on the woman… and receiving an icy stare for it. He didn't notice. "She's the candidate to be Ise's familiar. She means well. You can trust her. She's the one who told us about Ise."

The Chaos Karma Dragon, Tiamat. Rias knew well about her. She was the strongest of the Dragon Kings and assisted Ajuka Beelzebub in his research. But not much else was known about her. She was reclusive to the world. She never made a name for herself in the modern age and her reputation was only based on her legend.

"…Another one," Koneko said in such a low voice it was almost missed.

"Another one," agreed Akeno.

"Hey, so uh…" Richard pointed his hand towards Yuuto and wiggled his fingers after eyeing him from head to toe. "About that help I offered. Lad over there looks ready to keel over. That arm looks ready to fall off too. You mind if I take a look at him?"

Eyes shifted towards Rias. None of her servants moved from their positions. It was her call to make.

"Please do," Rias said. "We are in need of allies at the moment, Lord Richards. Anything you offer would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course," Richard nodded and moved towards Yuuto. "Alright, son, I'm going to need you to take a seat right there on the couch. Lemme have a look at ya…"

He gently pushed Yuuto back to the couch, helped him sit, and kept a close eye on his movements. His eyes narrowed behind his colored glasses as his hands swayed around. The air curved around him as he mumbled something below his breath. He was working his magic.

Yuuto's face visibly relaxed. It was as if all the pain he had been hiding had vanished. Or, it had at least been sedated.

"If you're asking for my Pawn, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave him for the moment," Rias turned back to Tiamat. "He's exhausted and needs his rest. We don't want to disturb him. He's… sensitive towards anything near him."

"I'm aware of the cognitive notice alerts the World inoculates with its guard dogs," Tiamat muttered. She shifted her balance and put a hand on her hip. "It would change nothing whether I am here or at his side. Even conversing about him is the same as shaking a mundane whilst they sleep. However, I will respect courtesies. I shall wait here until he stirs."

She chose to walk to the loveseat in the corner of the room. She didn't so much as sit on it as she declared it her own with how she made herself comfortable.

"You might want to hold him down for a sec," Richard spoke up towards Koneko.

The Rook nodded, went behind the couch, and placed her hands on Yuuto's shoulders.

"…This isn't going to hurt, is it?" Yuuto questioned with a nervous smile.

Richard placed his fingers around the Knight's bicep. His fingers began to massage the muscle while energy hummed at the tips. "Nah. Just don't want you to move while I reanimate all the dead gunk. But… you might wanna find something to bite down on."

"Uh…" was all Yuuto could say about the matter.

The humming from Richard's magic grew louder. His hand vibrated as his focus hardened. Warmth swept through the room like the rays of sunlight seeping through the curtains. Yuuto jerked in his seat as his face contorted to pain. Koneko held him in place while the Archmage swept his hand down the arm.

"There we go," Richard said when he finished. He smacked the bicep hard enough to leave a red mark. "Good as new. How ya feel?"

"I thought you said it wouldn't hurt…" Yuuto groaned while he tested his arm. He flexed the muscle and fiddled with his fingers.

"I also told you to bite the bullet just in case. Alright, little lady, thanks for the help. Now come over here so I can take a look at ya."

Koneko's response was to take a few steps away from the Archmage. "I really don't want to be looked over by a pervert. Especially one our pervert knows."

The Archmage's eyes sparkled. He stared at Koneko for a moment, making her shirk away and hide behind the couch. "You seem to be a-okay if ya can say somethin' like that. A'ight. Anyone else hurt? This ain't the full party last I've seen."

"We're only a little shaken up," Rias responded. "Lord Royals, was the Leviathan with you before you came here? Last I heard, you both were still in the Underworld in the Familiar Forest."

"…Levi is with her sister," Richard said with a grim voice. "Things ain't lookin' so bleak at the moment. 'Specially if them Rounders are here. Speaking of which, where's ya boss? Ziggy Stardust hurt too and bedridden? Or is he takin' care of Ise?"

Heads turned to look at another in confusion.

"I… don't know who you're asking for, Lord Archmage," Lancelet answered. "Can you be a little more specific?"

Richard didn't speak for a moment. "Erm… Ziggy Stardust? About ye high, old enough to be your greatgranpappy, wielder of the Multiplication Sorcery, Queen Lizzy's Knight of Honor, head of the Siegfried-Germanicus family, has a magitech Gram that's better than the original, the freaking _Dragon Slayer,_ Second Predator?! Come on lass! Don't go on lookin' at me like that. Ludwig Fudge Muffering von Siegfried! Your boss!"

For every description he gave, all he received were blank looks. Neither of the two Knights knew who he was talking about.

Nor could anyone from the Gremory Peerage.

"Hey now… y'all're serious," he looked around. "None of you— _none of you—_ can remember ol' Ziggy Stardust? Come on now. He was here because of Queen Lizzy—"

"Queen _Elizabeth_ ," corrected Lancelet.

"He took that kid from Sona's peerage to boot camp! She was all horrified about it. Called me up to retrieve him. If she didn't tell ya, Rias, the two Rounders who always follow him around should know about it."

"…Saji was instructed and supervised by Sir Galahad," Morgan explained.

"Your memories are all outta whack…" he mumbled.

"Son of Star," Tiamat called from her seat. Her eyes flicked around as she watched the engagement. She had her head resting against her hand with the elbow propped on the armrest. "Recognize this for what it is. Or isn't. If the person _you_ remember does not exist in the memories of anyone present, there can only be one thing at work here."

"Eh, Tia—"

"Don't call me that."

"—Ya don't know any guy like that? Someone in your position should have heard about something. He's _the_ Dragon Slayer."

"Queen Elizabeth of the British Isles has no Knight of Honor," Tiamat shared. "It was a topic of controversy since the Second World War. She never took one. The Siegfried-Germanicus clan is being led by the third son, Leinhart Borson Siegfried-Germanicus. And there hasn't been a hero slayer of dragons since the dark ages. Does this suffice?"

Richard's lips pressed into a tight line as he thought about her words. His head turned towards the last of his hopes.

The doll standing stationary looked up at him and replied in her robotic voice, "There are no records matching the description you supplied, Master. This is no memory alteration. This is recoding of the Laws of the World. The person of interest does not exist. The World is filling in the gaps his lack of existence has created."

"…Not good," Richard muttered below his breath. "Totally not good at all. We can't lose any Predators. Not when the Evensong is right around the corner. The Vamp and now the Dragon Slayer. Chase is going to blow a gasket…"

"The… Divine Beast as well, Lord Royals," Rias breathed out.

Richard's head spun around to look at her. "What? What, what, _what_?! Ziggy _and_ Serene were lost today? Saint Serene of Finland, the Divine Beast Predator, was lost? What in the world went… down…"

His voice trailed off the more he looked at her. He realized something. His eyes widened slightly with his complexion paling.

"…Lord Royals?" Rias questioned with a worried voice. She didn't like the way he was looking at her.

He lifted a hand and gestured for her. "Love… Rias, come her for a sec. I need to check something. Let me see your hand."

"Thank you, but I think there are more pressing matters to deal with," Rias said. "I'm fine."

"…It's not you I'm worried about," Richard said in a hushed whisper.

She didn't understand at first.

Then, a cold terror rushed through her. She couldn't hide her reaction. Her blood froze as her hands went immediately to her stomach.

The gesture wasn't missed by anyone.

Richard had crossed the room in the blink of an eye. He said something to her but she couldn't hear. With the support of Akeno, they guided her to one of the seats. Richard knelt down and put his hands directly over her shirt. His magic buzzed as he whispered minor incantations.

The magic stopped after a long moment. Richard didn't remove his hand. He didn't move at all. His face was as unreadable as stone as he stared straight ahead.

Rias' lips felt dry and cracked. "What is it…?"

He took her hands and held them tight. With a spell, he removed his sunglasses. His eyes were like a pair of stars in a dark night. They were full of grief and sorrow.

"There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry. She's gone."

0-0-0

Issei hadn't been asleep for very long. Asleep being a loose term, anyhow. An hour had gone by since the battle when he decided it was time to rise. His body ached and he felt sickly tired. It felt like he was about to puke.

But he bit back the nausea and the fatigue. Right now wasn't the time to be resting. He could do that later.

Guests had arrived.

He recognized the first one as Grayfia Lucifuge, the maid of the Gremory family. He was somewhat startled to find out how… less she felt. The last time he sensed her presence he had been wary of her. Now, after his powers had grown after the excursions since last they met, she wouldn't be anything further than an uncomfortable pressure.

The ones she brought with her, however, could not be ignored. Serafall Leviathan, whom he had learned to trust, was present. Near her were two others.

Those two were at the same league as Michael. They were making Issei on edge.

By all means, he trusted the girls with all his heart. They had to have let them in. Plus, the house wasn't vaporized, which meant the guests couldn't be bad.

When he forced himself out of bed, he took a moment to examine his surroundings. His bed alone had quadrupled in size. And his room had been expanded to the size of the bottom floor of his house. Most of the furniture had been replaced. But the posters were reapplied, his collection of movies, porn, and books were filed neatly in a shelf, his computer had been upgraded to the latest version, and all his clothes were pressed in a drawer or hung in the closet.

…There were also new designer outfits that would have cost him an arm and a leg even with his abundant savings.

He dressed in what he was familiar with— an old pair of jeans and a red shirt— and stepped out of the room.

His entire house had been renovated. The hallway had been expanded enough to fit three of him arms fully extended. And dare he say he couldn't see the end of the hallway.

The structure was kept the same, to a certain degree. He was able to find his way to the stairs— which were marbled and covered in velvet carpet— and make his way to the bottom floor.

Everything he passed was breathtaking… and expensive. Mostly expensive. It made him pause a few times to question if this really was his house. But the World told him he was on the same spot of the planet that should have been his home. And he detected all the protections from the pathetic charms he wrestled to make to Richard Royal's energy signature coating the walls.

He had only been gone for a few days. How in the world did his house get such an upgrade on short notice?

He didn't make a sound as he made his way to the main room.

The television was on. Half of the Occult Research Club were huddled on one couch with their backs turned away from him. Others sat on opposite seats. He spotted Richard Royals with his Clockwork Jinni, Tiamat (he gulped at that one), Grayfia, Serafall, and Lancelet and Morgan.

There were two strangers. One with crimson hair in the exact same shade as Rias and another with a seawater green. It was these two who made Issei's skin crawl with danger.

These two had noticed his arrival but didn't say anything. Their eyes pretended to pay attention to the television while their senses took notice of him just as he did of them.

He did not dismiss them. He let the World keep track of them while he turned his sights on the news broadcast.

 _"—destroyed. There are thirty-five dead and fifty injured with numbers rising by the second; nine of which are in critical condition. Police and emergency teams could not get to the scene. Knights of the Round of the British Isles blockaded entry to all personnel, stating it was to minimalize the potential injuries. Police officers attempted to break through but were pinned down when the Knights of the Round retaliated with lethal force."_

He should have known something like this would have happened. The attack had happened before Devil activities could start. There were still some students present for club activities. Had it taken place after sundown then all the students would have been away. Damages could have been kept to a minimum and magic could have been used to cover it up. There were barriers placed around the school to draw attention away.

It hadn't been enough, apparently. They had made too much noise. Either someone on the outside had taken notice and reported the disturbance or the students within had. The barrier could keep anyone from noticing blasts of magic being flung around… but not an entire wall collapsing or the death of their classmates.

 _"The Knights of the Round fled, getting away in a reinforced truck. It is unclear what happened at Kuoh Academy,"_ went on the reporter. He was at the scene with his back against the quad, where most of the battle had taken place. _"Police officials are still investigating the scene. But, as you can see behind me, it is the clear signs of another Red Blur rampage. Witnesses sighted him flying over the city and arriving at Kuoh Academy minutes after the first police report._

 _"There are no signs the Red Blur was after any criminal or wanted suspect. There are no reports of any suspect being delivered to police office doorsteps within the past hour. There are no signs of a struggle of any sort. Witnesses speculate it is a meaningless rampage, a sort of aftershock compared to the Red Storm tragedy. Why Kuoh Academy was targeted is unclear."_

 _"This just in,"_ the screen changed with one of the anchors speaking behind his desk. _"Prime Minister Nishimoto is holding a press conference. We now take you live to full coverage…"_

"…I don't believe this," Rias growled.

"They don't know what happened," the man with the red hair spoke calmly to sooth her. "They are frightened. You cannot blame them for acting like this."

"It's unfair," Rias said next. "Ise doesn't deserve this. He worked selflessly for years for their sake. He stopped a monster from taking more lives. And now they've turned their back on him…"

"Not without reason," the man said in the same calm voice. "We all know the true story. I can say with a clear mind it is best the Vampire is no more. However, try to look at it through their eyes. Millions are dead because of their battle. Cities were destroyed. The world is frightened someone as powerful as Hyoudou-dono roams free. Yes, he used his power to save them numerous times. But it has been shown he has the power to destroy them all the same."

Rias sighed. Her body shook. Her voice had sounded… off. Her heart felt like it was in turmoil. Something was bothering her. Issei could feel it like a physical pressure. Her heart was broken and shew as bleeding on the inside.

It felt like she had lost her innocence. It felt like she was crying in agony. There was a wound on her heart that was so fresh and pungent she didn't know how to handle it.

It couldn't have been because of this. No, she was only taking her frustrations out on the unsuspecting people because that's all she could do to vent.

He focused on her, trying to reach out to her with his senses. He thought about activating the Gift of Seduction just for her. Just so she could be lulled and be calmed. Her heart was like a storm. She was drowning in something. He wanted to go to her and hold her close.

He should have. But he didn't. He kept leaning against the wall as the television went on.

…The Prime Minister had declared the Red Blur a public enemy. He was no longer welcomed in Japan and any sightings of him within the country would warrant military action.

"They… They can't do that!" hissed Rias. She stood up from her seat.

"They did," sighed Akeno. "Rias, please calm down. King Lucifer is right. They are afraid and don't know how to deal with this. Besides, Ise-kun is strong. I highly doubt a few mortal guns could stop him. Didn't they already try a few years ago when he first became a hero?"

"He doesn't deserve this," Rias snapped back. She held her stomach a little tighter. "He gave up so much for them. He lost so much. He keeps losing things. He doesn't deserve to—"

She had been facing Akeno. Her eyes snapped up as she saw something that didn't belong in the corner of her vision. Her eyes widened when she spotted Issei.

He soaked her in. The sight of her made his heart ache. Something tremendous had ruined her and was continuing to eat away at her. Her eyes were red and puffy, the signs she had been crying and only recently stopped.

Heads turned to see what she had.

He didn't have the energy to wave at any of them.

"I-Ise!" Rias shrieked, spun, grabbed the remote on the table, and flicked off the screen. She didn't turn back to him right away. Her hands gripped the remote tight enough for the plastic to groan.

"How… How long have you been there?" she asked, turning her head slightly so he could see her face.

He wasn't sure where to start. He wanted to ask about her. He wanted to ask about the strangers. He wanted to know what happened at Kuoh.

He wanted to go to her. He wanted to throw her arms around her and held her close. He wanted to assure her everything was okay and will be okay.

…He didn't have the strength to do it. Today's events had proven how shallow those promises were going to be. He wasn't there to protect them. And he hadn't been able to defeat the enemy.

His head still throbbed. He still couldn't remember who it was he had been fighting.

"I've always known," he decided to say. His eyes had flicked over to the black screen. "It's kinda hard to ignore the seven billion people directing their hate towards me. That's one of the side effects of being a Predator. You know whenever someone has bad thoughts about you. All the time."

Rias bowed her head in shame. He could feel her embarrassment. He had known she had been trying to hide what the world thought of him. She went through great lengths to isolate him in the house, hide his phone, take out the internet, and wire all the cable to the Underworld stations.

Wait. That station just now was a surface world channel. Did that mean she put in some sort of V-chip? There were over fifty different porn channels and yet she chose to block off _public television_?

She had tried to keep it all away from him. He could feel her realize what he said. It had been a small mistake. She had forgotten that sum of information regarding his Predator perks. She knew he was aware whenever someone was about to threaten him. She didn't realize how deep and thorough the insight went.

He couldn't hate her for it. She only thought of him.

"Greetings, Hyoudou Issei-dono," the man with the red hair spoke formally. He put on a smile that was all things friendly, respectful, and professional. He rose with the same inhuman grace only the likes of a Devil could perform.

It wasn't missed by Issei how everyone else stood immediately after he did.

Even Issei found himself standing straight, no longer leaning against the wall. He kept his shoulders back and his hands at his side. Though, he did his best to not present himself as imposing.

"I was hoping we could have met under better circumstances," the man said somberly. "I am Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Four Satans."

"And I am Ajuka Beelzebub," said the man with the green hair. "Also one of the Satans. But, to you, Dragoon Predator, Sirzechs and I are what you might call Candidates."

Well, that certainly explained the amount of danger they presented to him. They simply standing there was putting him on edge.

There was that. And… then there was the fact he had to remind himself he was also a Devil and these were two more of his sovereigns.

"It's nice to meet you," he said stiffly and bowed his head. They bowed too in respect as if he were their equals. "I, um, don't mean to sound rude or anything but, what are you doing here? I-I mean, that's not what— W-Well… it's just that there are three of you here all of a sudden. Did something major happen while I was out?"

"You mean other than a band of Rouges and Accusers of the Acolyte faction assaulting the overseer of a Devil-controlled territory?" mused Sirzechs. "Something like that, yes. I am afraid Ajuka and I are here for more critical matters. I was made aware the Third Predator perished in the confrontation against the Church's Candidate."

Something sank to the pit of Issei's stomach at the reminder. Amelia Rosewood, the Divine Beast Predator, and his Queen, had died. Whatever she had fought against got rid of her body entirely. There was nothing left for Issei to call for. It was her absence in the back of his mind that made him return to the surface world.

"Two Predators," Richard said aloud. Though he got up from his seat in respect, he leaned against the armrest with his arms crossed. "No one here remembers Ziggy 'cept for me. He was the Dragon Slayer, Second Predator. Whatever happened had him removed from the face of existence. That's two Predators down."

"Three, if we take into account the vanquishing of the Vampire," Ajuka capped off. "All we have left is Archibald Lolifor, Chase Rolan, Artemis Philips, Li Qin Xi'Lon, Issei Hyoudou, and…"

His eyes moved towards Yuuto.

"Our very own Yuuto Kiba," he finished.

Six. There were only six protectors of the planet left. Five, if being technical. For some strange reason, Yuuto wasn't being recognized as a Predtor at the moment. He had mixed feelings about Yuuto being his peer. He hated Rolan for succeeding in his plan. But he also felt relief in knowing one of his closest friends was with him.

Yet, he couldn't help but worry for Yuuto as well. Becoming a Predator was furthest from a blessing. It was a curse that ceaselessly ate away at Issei. He could never want anyone else to bear this mantle.

"If it's all right…" Issei said slowly. "I would like to catch up. I want to know what happened since I was gone. I was down in the Familiar Forest with…"

He gestured towards Tiamat, who did nothing more than blink when their gaze met.

"But of course," Sirzechs said with a small, if not grim, smile. He gestured for Issei to enter the room. "Please. This is your home. Grayfia, will you please make him something? He looks famished."

The silver-haired maid nodded dutifully and excused herself to the kitchen.

Issei took his seat across of everyone, taking up residence in what had been Richard's seat. Most of everyone remained standing. He looked at Rias with an almost pleading stare, silently asking her if she would sit with him. The couch felt too big by himself.

She didn't move. She wouldn't look his way. Her lips quivered as he watched her forcibly fought against herself from breaking down and crying.

He paid close attention to her as he listened to the story. Akeno did most of the talking, with Yuuto and Koneko jumping in to fill in the gaps where she wasn't present.

They had been getting ready for sundown, to be sent off on their daily ritual of Devil business. That was when a pair of strangers entered the clubroom, mesmerized them all with some sort of hypnotic charm— an Acolyte eye technique, Ajuka supplied— and managed to catch them off guard. A slip of the tongue revealed them to be the brothers of the Vampire. The Occult Research Club responded in kind.

He heard about how someone had kept Amelia at bay while the club fought against the brothers. Serafall said the description matched Saint Vice, an Inquisitor of the Church, and once also a Candidate. Whatever she had done had robbed Amelia of her life.

He was stunned to find out it was Asia of all people who had defeated her and the strongest brother, Josh. The death of Amelia had shaken her into such a deep level of despair it had triggered a Balance Break. Her Twilight Healing ascended in power and brought back the lives of those who had fallen.

…All because Amelia Rosewood was… Asia's mother.

Rias had hear heart torn out of her chest. Issei briefly wondered if it was the realization she had died that shook her this badly. He wasn't sure.

But Asia… Her Twilight Healing couldn't bring back the dead without a cost. Her Sacred Gear had pried off the life force of those around her. She had torn the life out of the enemies in order to heal her friends.

Asia had killed.

And Josh…

"That… is a pretty vicious death curse…" Richard said in an unsettling voice. "To never forget the guy she ganked. That ain't good on a sweetheart like her. I'll see what I can do. But… I hear Joshua was also a Candidate. A Blueblood Acoltye, at that. His eye techniques are top-notch. I don't know how much I can do…"

Everyone was quiet for a brief moment.

"Where is Asia?" asked Issei.

"Resting," answered Akeno. "We took her up to her room. Irina and Xenovia are with her. We haven't checked on her since. Too much has been happening…"

He nodded in understanding. He made sure the next thing he did was check on her. He… could comprehend how much she was hurting, to a certain degree anyways. The loss of his parents made him what he was today. Asia grew up knowing she never had parents. If she recently learned Amelia had been her mother and then quickly robbed of that… he couldn't fully understand what sort of pain she was going through.

He still needed to be there for her. He was her lover as much as she was his.

"That's about where we leave off..." Yuuto leaned forward with his hands cupped between his knees. "Issei-kun, you and I were fighting something. Another brother but I have no recollection of him. He was dangerous enough to force Buchou and the others to retreat. He was dangerous enough to break you. Something to that degree hasn't happened since the Vampire. I can't think of anything that could have done it."

Issei sat in his seat, not moving, staring away in thought. Yuuto had the same problem as he did? He couldn't remember the brawl? Yuuto was beaten up as well… but he seemed to be fully functional.

"Then it's true," Ajuka spoke up. "The Abyss has been at play here. Tiamat, how long do you think before Guardians are deployed here?"

Heads turned towards him.

"It is hard to say…" Tiamat tilted her head in thought. "The Guardians loath this World for it houses the Black Sun. They are just as likely to show up using that as an excuse to instigate us… or remain ignorant while they continue to abandon us."

"That's twice I've heard that term," Issei spoke up. "Richard-san, you mentioned them when we were in the Familiar Forest. And Tiamat-san, you mentioned them when we were talking about Trihexa."

"Dragoon Predator," Ajuka raised a brow. "Were you not told about the Evensong?"

Issei struggled to keep his eyes from leaving Ajuka and peaking over towards his friends. He didn't want them to hear about the story of the Evensong. The Vampire had let loose a small portion of it, regarding the death of the Heavenly Father, and it had done terrible things with their minds. He didn't want them to learn about the rest.

"I know it," Issei nodded. His mind fought to find a way to change the topic. "But does this have anything to do with my memory loss?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that," responded Richard. "See, when anything from the Abyss shows up, it really fudges with the World's system. The Abyss don't exist. Even calling it the Abyss isn't real, 'cause, y'know, it don't exist for real. That's where things get really wonky. 'Cause things from the Abyss don't exist, the World can't recognize it."

"Yet things from the Abyss can still affect our plane of existence," Ajuka carried off. "Imagine, Dragoon Predator, the lamp besides you suddenly combusts. There is no evidence that shows anything was at work. The lamp seems to have exploded on its own."

Issei's brows scrunched as he looked towards where Ajuka directed his eyes at. "But… I don't get it. There is no lamp. What does—"

"Exactly," Ajuka said with a wry smile. "There is no lamp. There never was. Or perhaps there was but the World says otherwise."

…Issei's head was starting to hurt.

"Confusing, yeah?" Richard clicked his tongue. "That's how it works. Take it up to eleven; whatever you guys did triggered something of the Abyss to intervene. It totally wiped out whatever you kids were fighting. It creates this gap in the existing realm— a gap that _needs_ to be filled. The World doesn't know what happened, can't figure it out itself, and has no choice but to deal with it. The gap can't be filled…"

"But it can be concealed," Tiamat stepped in. "The World pulls all its existence over the gap to hide it. More than just memories are mended. Time, space, reality, concepts, and metaphysics are manipulated and rearranged in order to cover the hole. It is not a solution. It's no better than tossing a rug over a sinkhole. Out of sight, out of mind, so says the World."

…Issei's head felt ready to explode.

"Then…" Lancelet spoke up for the first time. "There might have been a Ludwig von Siegfried? Another Predator? Ah, please excuse my interruption. I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright," Ajuka put up a steady hand for her. "There might have been. The problem is, we don't know. Nor do we have a means of learning. His entire existence has been removed. There is no evidence to prove or disprove this person was ever real."

"I remember him…" grumbled Richard.

"You are the son of Star," Tiamat chided as if it was common sense.

"Right now," Sirzechs spoke up with a voice of authority, "we are at our lowest. Hyoudou-dono, do you have a means of getting in contact with any other Predator?"

At this moment, Grayfia returned with a tray full of food. Soup, bread with butter, some assorted fruits, and a glass of red wine was brought before him. His stomach growled as the smells invigorated him. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now.

…He did question the wine though. He was still underage. But, Grayfia gave him a certain look that told him he should consume everything.

He thanked her before she stepped back, taking position to come to his aid as soon as he was finished.

"Something like that," Issei answered Sirzechs after a consuming the whole bread. They waited patiently for him. "I once had a computer set up with a secure network. But… I broke it and threw it away. That was weeks ago. The only other way I can think of is calling their name with my senses and hope they respond."

Sirzechs nodded firmly, "Then, you are not aware of their positions?"

Issei looked up briefly. His mind called upon the remaining Predators. The World answered his call and brought him to their position.

Archibald was overseeing the damages wrought on a ruined building in the middle of New York. Rolan was in Eastern Europe, just squatting on a set of ruined stairs. And Li Qin... was in combat against someone in the Middle East.

She was losing. Panic had stricken her.

She was fighting against… a man of red. Red hair, read eyes, in red clothes.

As soon as Issei spotted him, the man turned and _looked back._

It was the gap Li Qin needed. She entered a subspace dimension.

Issei, meanwhile, felt his head jerk back. That man… had forcibly revoked his connection with the World. He had turned his senses against him and sent his mind shooting back to his current position.

"Hyoudou-dono?" Sirzechs looked concerned.

Others were at his side. Grayfia had a steady hand on his shoulder while Rias was kneeling beside him. He hadn't realized he had a hand pressed against his brow until she touched him.

"I… I'm okay," he said shakily. "They… Everyone was fighting. Has been fighting. Is that… Is that why you're here? You know what's going on, don't you?"

Sirzechs and Ajuka exchanged brief looks.

"It's as we thought…" sighed Sirzechs. "The enemy has begun to make their move. The attack on Kuoh was only one of a series of coordinated strikes. The American Union Postal Services, the Tepes faction of the Vampires, and Kuoh Academy are the only ones we are aware of. I wouldn't doubt other powerful factions Predators are affiliated with have been targeted as well."

"…Is there another television anywhere?" asked Lancelet with a shaky voice. Her complexion had paled.

Koneko responded by pointing at one of the doors to her far right.

"Please excuse me then… Morgan, check the news stations. Check anything having to do with the British Isles. I am going to contact headquarters…"

Her voice trailed away as they both rushed out of the doors. He could still hear her giving commands but chose to not intrude.

"But those guys at the academy…" Issei returned to the topic. "You said they were Acolytes, yeah? Aren't they a part of Rolan's faction?"

"Remember when I said someone broke into the Well?" Richard answered. "I heard also someone broke into Heaven's prison too. The only types who can do that are those without physical forms… or those with guttershite conceptual-based abilities. The power of thought and imagination, Ise. A Level-Five Acolyte could totally do that. Them being Joshua and maybe another of his brothers. Maybe the guy you can't remember."

"They were Rogues and Accusers," said Serafall. "They were wanted criminals of their factions… as well as several other parts of the world. But… You're right. They shouldn't have been with the Khaos Brigade."

"How do you know?" Issei asked.

She looked away with her lips thinning. "I… met some of them before. With Obi— With Chase. He _was_ friends with the Vampire."

Rage slowly started to boil from the pit of his core and started to rise into his voice. "You knew about them? And you didn't warn us?"

"…I had assumed Kuoh Academy was safe," she replied. "Dragoon-chan, I could give you a full list of potential enemies and it wouldn't do you any good. You can't prepare for everything. You can only prepare your defenses and hope your threats are good enough to keep everyone back."

"They were prepared," Koneko spoke up, surprising Issei. "They said they had been watching us. They knew our tactics and how we fought. They hit us when you were gone and brought someone to distract Serene. They hit all our weaknesses."

"They couldn't have," Issei growled. "I would have sensed them. Amy would have…"

"Issei-kun…" Yuuto sighed. "They knew I was a Predator before any of you did. They even knew how to counter the thing that made me into a Predator. They knew _exactly_ how to fight us."

"They ain't afraid of you Predators no more," Richard said solemnly. "Before, they were nothing but a bunch of mooks scrambling together without any order. Hence why they're called the Khaos Brigade. But now? They have something that can tackle you guys. They took out two of you today. The World's finest."

"Which is precisely why we need to reinforce ourselves," Sirzechs said firmly. "Hyoudou-dono, I am going to be making contact with Heaven and the Fallen. Michael and Azazel have been talking about peace for long. I believe with the approach of the Evensong will peace be achieved. We also plan on incorporating other mythologies and factions into our alliance.

"I am asking you, as a Candidate to a Predator, if you will be willing to place an armistice with your peers for this sake. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves. Too many seals have been broken. Trihexa is stirring from its slumber. It's only a matter of time before it breaks from its prison."

"Excuse me," Yuuto spoke up. "King Lucifer, I've tried to follow the terms being shared but I'm a little lost. What exactly is this Evensong? And this… Trihexa. Is that the beast at the World's end?"

A cold sweat washed through Issei. He had been trying to avoid this topic. He had hoped to share this with Yuuto in private. He didn't want anyone else to hear about it.

Sirzechs had noticed his body language shift. Probably all the other adults. But the red-haired Satan was the one who gave Issei a disapproving look that spurned him.

"The Evensong… is the prophecy catalogued by Lester del Rey. It is a published short story made for the public to hide its true intentions. Only those aware of the World and its Ruler know the story is more than utter fantasy. It tells the story of God… and those He calls the Usurpers. The story begins at the end, where God has been imprisoned by those He taught all His wonders, flees to the furthest edge of the universe, and is found by the Usurpers once again and to return to his prison."

He paused for a moment, looking at everyone and studying their reactions.

Issei wanted to stop him. But to do so wouldn't end well. He wanted to hide this from his friends. But he was afraid they would suspect him and grow to despise him from hiding it.

"That was the prophecy on how the World was supposed to end," Sirzechs continued. "It was never a story about the Heavenly Father or the Earth Mother. It was about the Ruler of the World picking someone to take up his mantle. But, things have changed.

"The prophecy was revised with the coming of a man named Adams McCain. His story has prophesized the demise of every Ultimate Killer since the dawn of time. From the original Leviathan and Behemoth, to the Roman Empire, to the Black Death, and eventually to the battle of the Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father. He was never wrong.

"It… has also mentioned Predators who have yet to be, who could have been, and who are currently since the prophecy was made. It has foretold the arrival of every Predator of the current generation. It has even mentioned you, Hyoudou-dono. Although… it got the name wrong. It describes you as a… _crimson flash._ "

…Instead of a Red Blur. That… freaked him the hell out.

"It doesn't mention me as well… does it?" Yuuto asked. His face was starting to turn green.

"It mentions the Father of Victory," Sirzechs answered.

Yuuto looked like he was ready to puke. Even Issei put the pieces together. After all, hadn't Excalibur, the blade of Absolute Victory— or Cali-chan as she preferred— continue to call him _Papa_?

"And their deaths?" Rias asked in a frightened voice. "You said it foretold their deaths as well. It can't mention Ise and Kiba… can it?"

Sirzechs didn't answer her.

"Sir Rolan has been trying passionately to reject the Evensong," Ajuka said aloud.

"Passionately might not be the right word," snapped Serafall.

"I say otherwise," he retorted. "He's studied it close enough to know it better than any of us."

"…He's the one who made Yuuto and I," Issei said in a low and defeated voice. It had been something he'd always known since he heard about the Evensong.

"He's also attempted to go against it and make others into Predators," Ajuka went on. "So far, every attempt has failed. This prophecy goes deeper than the workings of the Ruler and his World. Not even Sir Rolan with all his resources can break it. At least… until most recently."

He said that while looking straight at Issei.

"I understand Archmage Royals made you something recently…?" he dragged on the question with an expression that implied something deeper.

It was Richard's turn to break out into a cold sweat. He scooted close to Serafall, leaned over, and demanded in a heated whisper. "I thought we was tight, Levi."

She glowered at him, "I am still the Satan of foreign affairs. Your most recent project demands I report it to Aju-chan, who I will remind you is the head of research and development. Do I need to remind you the last time we talked about this?"

Ajuka raised a hand in assurance, "We do not plan on pressing charges. But I cannot ignore the potency of such a potential artifact. Dragoon Predator, may you show me these Predator Pieces Archmage Royals has created for you?"

"What Pieces?" Issei said quickly. "Predator Pieces? Never heard of them."

Richard gave him a thumbs-up, making sure his hand was out of sight of his friends. However, his reaction wasn't missed by the three Satans and Grayfia.

Sirzechs gave Issei a look of understanding but his tone said otherwise. "Hyoudou-dono, we need to see them. It is your duty as a Predator to protect the World as much as it is mine to protect what is mine as the Devil King. If they can help us in any way, I need to know."

…He had to give the man credit. The words pierced through Issei like a hot lance. The man was a public speaker who knew how to manipulate the hearts of those who heard him. His eyes, his tone, his body language, and his choice of words were all calculated to have the maximum effect.

"Ise… what's he talking about?" Rias asked at his side.

Yet, this was another secret he wanted to keep from her. He wanted them destroyed. He wanted nothing to do with them.

But Sirzechs had a point. With so few Predators and with the enemy growing astronomically stronger, they needed as much help as they could get. The howling of the beast, of Trihexa, was growing louder. It had gone from something at the back of his mind to something that was starting to disturb him. It was no longer background noise he could tune out. It felt like the neighbors were blasting their stereo.

He didn't say a word as he stood and went to retrieve the box he buried in his basement. Considering Rias didn't know what he was talking about meant she hadn't found it.

…Even after the basement had been renovated as well. It was more like a giant warehouse. And there was an elevator to the side. The numbers above the door told him there were multiple floors below his feet.

At least they hadn't changed his secret entrance still hidden at the bottom of the stairs. It probably wasn't a secret anymore. But they left it be. He had used this before as the Red Blur as a tunnel to get out of the city unnoticed. Now it served no other purpose than to collect dust… and to hide the Predator Pieces.

His fingers sank through the cement as if they were sand, found what he was looking for, and pried the box from its prison he had sealed. He made a mental note to cement the hole shut.

By the time he returned, Lancelet and Morgan had returned.

Lancelet was sitting on the couch he had used with a napkin blotting a few beads of sweat from her brow. Her voice was dry.

"The… Queen… Queen Elizabeth is dead. More than half of the Round is… gone. And Princess Elizabeth is missing…"

"Until the dust settles," Morgan spoke in her usual bland tone… but she continued to lick her lips, a sign of a nervous habit. "We ask for refuge here. You may consider us political prisoners if needed."

"That won't be necessary…" Rias spoke while rubbing her brow with one hand. She looked more tired than he had ever seen her. "You're welcome here."

"We will be trying to reach any other Knights," Lancelet spoke. She blinked and pushed back her stress to speak formally. "There were others deployed across the world. We are hoping to reach them before your— before _our_ enemy does."

There was a fire in her voice at the correction. She made a decision then and there. Those who had attacked Kuoh was also the enemy of the Round Table.

"I, Sirzechs Lucifer, do hereby permit any and all members of the Knights of the Round protection within any territory ruled by the Devil society. Grayfia, please see to it that order is issued immediately. Send search parties for the last known locations of the Knights of the Round."

"Yes, Sirzechs," Grayfia bowed and stepped to the back of the room. A magic circle spun on her palm as she began to speak into it, repeating the orders into the Underworld.

"Thank you, King Lucifer," Lancelet said with the eyes of someone who meant it with all their heart.

"…I've never thought we'd be saying that," commented Morgan.

Ajuka's eyes flicked over to Issei. He made a show of it considering both he and Sirzechs had noticed his presence as soon as he returned. He flicked a few fingers, gesturing for Issei to enter and bring him the box. He did so as his way to announce he had returned.

The room fell silent once more.

Ajuka conjured a magic circle in his hand. And from it… a chess board appeared. He placed it on the center table. "Now, if you will please, align the Pieces onto the board in their rightful positions. This devise is used to analyze the Evil Pieces. Assuming Archmage Royals used my system as a template, it should still work."

"More or less," Richard shrugged.

Issei did so, pulling out each individual idol from the slot of the velvet lining and topping them in their appropriate squares. It was the exact same set of pieces as a chess game.

Ajuka's lips thinned as he watched the board. For every piece placed, his lips thinned further until it was a half-grimace. His brows furrowed with intense focus as he read something only his eyes could see.

"They… are certainly… marvelous," he chose the words carefully. "Rather crude. Archaic. Barbaric even."

"Bugger off," Richard said, clearly insulted.

"But they do seem to fulfill their purpose as it was reported," Ajuka continued without a hitch. "Every Piece is linked directly to the World's system. They've hotwired the planet's detection program. The full senses of a Predator without the killing intent and the singular personality lock.

"They don't, however, run off of demonic energy… Interesting. You managed to create an operating system that runs off of dragon essence. Not only that, but you've also applied a stimulant and processor to support the host."

Issei's heart lurched. It was exactly what Richard had described to him. He trusted the Archmage. There was no doubt in his mind he had been honest. He wasn't trying to deceive Issei.

Issei was panicking because of what the Pieces did. They granted the perks of a Predator without the cost as well as granting a significant boost to those reincarnated.

Rias had the look on her face that told him everything. She understood their purpose.

"Then… _anyone_ can become a Predator with something like this?" she asked.

Ajuka shook his head, "Not necessarily. A proxy at best. And each Piece augments a certain value based on which one is used. The Pawn could double one's parameters. But a Queen can amplify up to ten times their base. Sirzechs… another Ultimate-class Devil could reach our level with any one of these."

Sirzechs said nothing. His face was a mask.

Rias blinked and looked at the Pieces in a new light. She leaned forward and went to observe one between her fingers.

Issei's hand latched around her wrist before she was halfway. She gasped in pain from the strength of his grip. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He had only rushed in a panic to stop her from touching him.

Richard had said while they had been built for only Issei, _anyone_ can reincarnate without his permission. All it would take is a touch.

"I-Ise…?" Rias nearly lost her balance. "That hurts. What are you doing?"

"I'm… I'm sorry," he said frantically and let her go. There were bruise marks where his fingers had been. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to touch them. They need to be destroyed."

He received a lot of looks for his words and his reaction.

Ajuka raised a brow at him. "You have something that could essentially turn any Candidate into a Predator, or potentially assume a new Predator from the masses, and you want it to be destroyed?"

"We cannot afford to be fickle about this, Hyoudou-dono," Sirzechs said sharply. "You have this for a reason. Is it true? Serafall said this was a gift by the Ruler himself. If it is the Ruler giving you something like this then you must use it. You are a Predator. You are a defender of the planet. Are you so unwilling to…"

Sirzechs trailed off, choosing to let the rest of his words die off.

A growl had escaped the back of Issei's throat. His eyes had shifted as scales began to sprout across his arms.

"Have you heard what it sounds like?" he asked with a feral voice. "The beast. Do you know what it's like being a Predator? There is no peace. There is no silence. There is always something wanting to harm me. From me tripping over the carpet, a speck of dust about to land in my eye, to the _end of the world_ around the corner. It doesn't shut up."

He wished right now Amelia was there with him. She would be able to comfort him. She would be able to convince them all.

But she wasn't. He was alone. And they didn't understand.

Rias didn't understand.

"You've had this all along," she said suddenly. "Ise, why didn't you tell me? I thought… you and I…"

It hurt him to hear her like this. She felt betrayed and it rang in her voice.

He didn't tell her for this reason specifically.

"I don't want this on anybody," he responded. It felt like he was repeating himself at this point. It felt like he was shouting at a wall with his voice rebounding back on him.

"What about me?" she demanded. Whatever defense she had built from her previous turmoil had collapsed. Her wound was too fresh for her to become stabilized. All of her emotion spilt out once more. "Why didn't you come to me about this? Ise, I would have followed you to the ends of the earth for you. Because it's you! Do you know how hard we've been working for you? Do you know how hard we've trained?

"Every day I worried about what I can do for you as your King, as a woman… as your… Ise, I could have shared your burden. I would have shared it. That's how much I love you. I can't stand not being able to do anything to support you. I want to help you!"

"It's not worth it!" he snapped back. "Rias, you _will_ lose something. Innocence. The world will become nothing but fear and blood. There is no peace, there is no joy, there is no moment to rest. Every second is all about worrying over the next threat. You can't—"

"I could have protected everyone!" she shrieked. "Everyone, Ise! Everyone! Even… E-Even…"

She wrapped her arms around herself and started to cry. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

His first instinct was to go towards her. He took a half-step forward and tried to reach for her.

She slapped his hand away and rushed out of the room.

Nothing could have hurt him any deeper than that.

The room was full of heavy silence. It had a physical weight that bore down on his shoulders. No one dared to look at him. Their expressions were full of knowing something he did not. Yet, no one was willing to share.

"I… am going to her," Akeno announced and excused herself from the room.

She gave Issei a look that shook him. It was a cross of sympathy, apology, and… disgust. All three wrapped into a conflicting glare that hurt him almost as bad as Rias had.

"Issei-sempai…" Koneko said with a sigh. Her eyes glared at him with nothing but animosity. She didn't bother to finish her words when she looked away. Her eyes alone told him everything.

He was the worst, they said.

Yuuto remained silent. His face had shifted into an unreadable mask. But his shoulders were square and his hands had curled into fists. He was seething just as much.

"I am sorry," Sirzechs said suddenly. His tone suggested he meant it… but Issei didn't believe it for a minute. "I did not mean to disturb your home like this."

"…Leave," Issei demanded in a low voice. He was feeling lower than the fatigue could bring him.

"…As you wish," Sirzechs said respectfully. "But before I go, a few last words?"

He waited for Issei's response.

He breathed out, letting steam blow out of his nostrils, and turned his head towards Sirzechs. He didn't have the heart to look at him directly.

"We with power have a responsibility to use it," he said in a voice full of authority. " _All_ who have power, Hyoudou-dono. When my home is threatened, be assured I am the first at the scene to defend it. Even if it will cost me everything. Even if… my own family turns their back on me."

He said the last part with a heavy heart. He was silent. His presence was telling a story that Issei didn't want to hear.

Issei hated himself. Mainly because Sirzechs had a point.

"By your leave," Sirzechs said and gave a bow. Ajuka followed suite and Grayfia gave him a curtsey… but not without giving him an icy stare.

They moved to the back of the room, conjured a magic circle, and were gone in a matter of seconds.

"You're still here," Issei commented on the rest of the… guests.

Lancelet and Morgan had no reason to gain his ire. Nor would Tiamat— though she also didn't have a reason to intrude in his affairs. And Clockwork was as motionless and silent as the portrait hanging on the wall.

He said it directly to Serafall and Richard.

Richard raised his hands in defense, "Don't be like that, Ise. I'm just doin' my job. If you want me to go, I will. But lemme see to your sweetheart first. I need to see if I can get rid of the curse Josh placed on her."

He knew it was unfair to be treating them like this. He had no one to blame other than himself. He should have told Rias. Maybe. He didn't know. He didn't know who was in the right or wrong. All he knew was the woman he loved was furious at him.

"Leviathan-san… maybe you should be with Sona instead."

She didn't meet his gaze. She nodded, "You're right. My business here is complete."

He turned back to Richard, "Leave as soon as you're done."

Richard combed his fingers through his hair and sighed, "Yeah, yeah. Got it. Maybe you should sit down or somethin'? You look ready to…"

He gulped when Issei glared at him.

"Right… Lead the way?"

0-0-0

"Why are you still here?" he demanded.

"Because, Ddraig, you do not want to be alone," Tiamat answered. "Your mates are distancing their selves from you because of your chosen King. You distance yourself from them because you feel guilt. Yet isolation haunts you. I am here to grant you company."

"…Is that all?"

"No," she answered crisply. "I will tolerate your playing a little longer. These beings mean something to you and I shall respect that. Your purpose as the World's guard dog remains significant to you and this I will allow. Until you remember who you are, Ddraig."

He withheld his sigh and kept staring forward.

There was no service. There was no body to bury. But Issei had a plaque made and bolted into the wall that led to the garden.

It read…

 _In memory of Amelia Rosewood_

 _The Divine Beast_

 _Beloved mother and Queen_

It had been two days since the attack. His stamina had recovered. Things had been quiet as everyone started to gather their bearings.

He heard only Ruruko and Tomoe had survived from Sona's peerage. Saji was the only one able to get back on his feet. Everyone else had been crushed to the point of being unrecognizable. Tsubasa could have been saved… but she died on the operating table. Her injuries were too extensive even with the wonders of Devilry, magic, and the Sitri medical science.

Sona had taken it hard. He hadn't heard anything else about her since then.

Though… the World told him she was in America. He was terrified she was with Rolan but… the World assured him that wasn't the case. Rolan was still solving some issue in Eastern Europe. Sona was with someone else. Someone Issei didn't know.

Richard hadn't been able to successfully remove Asia's curse. She was going to forever be branded with the memory of Josh's murder for the rest of her life. All they could do was keep an eye on her.

Asia had stopped crying but… she hadn't gotten over the death of Amelia. She still smiled for him but it was forced. She couldn't be as radiant as she once was.

He made sure to hide the Predator Pieces away from anyone in the house. The bottom of the Pacific Ocean did the job until he figured out a way to destroy them.

…He wondered if his armor was strong enough to allow him to survive the surface of the sun. Or at least get close enough so he could chuck them into the glowing orb.

The World was telling him… no.

The Knights, Lancelet and Morgan, had checked on him at least once a day. He couldn't tell if they were reporting to him so he knew what they were up to or using it as a means to spy on him. Either way, it was nice seeing friendly faces.

He wondered briefly what happened to Sherry. They hadn't mentioned anything about her at all. He'd have to ask about her the next time he saw them.

The World supplied him with an adequate answer. Little Sherry was, in all places, the Underworld. Specifically in the Realm of the Dead.

…How in the world…?

"What is troubling you, Ddraig?" Tiamat snapped him out of his thoughts.

He really wasn't in the mood to confide his inner feelings with this woman. He hardly knew her. She knew Ddraig and treated him as such. Just because she was close to Ddraig— or the super alien that assumed his name— didn't mean she was close to Issei.

"I hate this," he said instead, lifting his head and looking up at the sky. "The waiting. I feel like I should be doing something but I don't have anything to go off of. I don't know where the enemy is and we have no clues. I hate having to wait for something to happen."

"For someone who preached about wanting peace, you tend to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"This isn't peace," Issei growled. "This is waiting for a bomb to go off when I don't know where it is."

"So you say," she drawled and folded her arms over her chest. "You are a terrible liar, Ddraig. If you do not wish to share with me your burdens I will not pry. But at least respect my company. I am here to stay. I will not lose sight of you again. I can help you or hurt you. The option is yours to choose."

He sighed, "What good is power when I can't protect my friends? They were hurt because I wasn't there. Even if I had your strength, it wouldn't have changed anything."

"Power…" she tasted the word as it passed through her lips. "What a mundane concept. Why do you fret over having an edge over another? Power changes nothing if your opponent is simply better. Ddraig, I've seen the mundane with no power overcome our breed. Those wings at your back is proof enough."

At the mention, his Gift of Seduction flickered at his lower back.

How right was she? He had gained his Gift of Flight after overcoming Ddraig. He had outshone Ddraig at his moment of weakness. Ddraig, one of the two most feared beings in this world's history, had been tamed by him. And Issei was no better than a normal human. He had nothing special about him. He had no magic, no talent, and certainly no wit. He was only a bundle of soft flesh consumed with rage and fear over the death of his parents.

And yet he made Ddraig bow before him. Ddraig handed him everything. In the end, Issei became Ddraig and assumed all his powers.

"…How?" he found himself asking.

He almost saw her smile. She hid it before he could see. "There will be a gathering of our kind. The Ruler has demanded our attendance. Perhaps there, in the presence of others just like you, will you find your answer. Perhaps there, in the company of all who know and revere you, [Potential], you will remember who you are."

She turned her head over her shoulder. He knew what she was looking at. The World had alerted him of the eyes at his back a few minutes ago.

"Um… Ise-kun?" Irina approached him timidly with Xenovia in tow. "Can we talk? If you're not busy, I mean."

"Indulge yourself," Tiamat said to him. "I'll leave you in fair company to prepare. I will come for you when it is time. You will come, Ddraig. Your… duties as a Predator can wait. If not, consider it your duty to guard the Ruler as he will be there as well."

She stepped away, waving a hand. A Dragon Gate appeared on the grass, slowly spinning and drawing up energy. By the time she stepped at the center did it gain enough strength to carry her off through dimensions. She was in the space between, the Dimensional Gap, where his Predator senses couldn't detect her.

"What's up?" he asked while turning back to the two.

Without Amelia, Irina and Xenovia had unofficially moved into Issei's house. They didn't feel safe staying in the small apartment Amelia had once shared with them. Not that it was really a problem. He trusted them. They were there where they needed and helped the Occult Research Club in the call of duty and beyond.

Irina gave a small smile, relieved he was in a good mood. Or a better mood, at least. "We were wondering… I was wondering… if you could…"

She exchanged a look with Xenovia, pleading for assistance. Xenovia gave her a blink, not fully understanding what she was implying. It took her a moment to take the hint.

"We have something to discuss with you. In private," she quickly added. It sounded like she was reading a script.

He didn't sense any harmful intentions. But…

"It's very personal, Ise-kun," Irina pleaded. "Please?"

They wanted to discuss something private, they said. He couldn't think of anywhere more private than here. His senses told him no one else was within the area. He'd know if someone was about to stumble upon them.

He decided to humor them anyways and told them to lead the way. What could possibly happen?

…In retrospect, he shouldn't have invoked the one line that whoever was in charge of running the cosmos despised. He had shot himself in the foot.

He had also failed to learn from previous experiences.

"What are you doing?!" he said while pressing his back against the wall.

"Xenovia! We talked about this!" Irina shouted with her face turning red.

The blue-haired girl blinked as she continued to undress. "We managed to get him into the room, did we not? Help me get his clothes off so we can begin."

"That's not how it works!" he shouted at her. "Xenovia-san, look, I get why you're doing this. But you don't need to. You were Amy's wards. I'll take care of you in her stead. You don't need to go this far just for that!"

His words got her to stop undressing. She was in nothing but her underwear. Half of his mind was relieved while the other half was sobbing. Maybe he should have waited a second or two for her to remove her bra.

Then again… he probably wouldn't be able to stop himself after that point.

"…Is that what you think this is?" Xenovia questioned. "You misunderstand. While, yes, it is still my desire to bear your child, that is not my full intention right now."

His brain came to a screaming halt. He could almost hear the screeching of wheels and the smell of burnt rubber. Followed by the deafening crunch of something slamming against his skull.

He didn't understand this girl at all!

"Then… what is this exactly?"

Xenovia chose to let Irina answer. She gave her partner a look.

Irina played with her hands at her front before answering. She kept her head bowed but her eyes never left his. "Ise-kun, I think what Xenovia is trying to say is… We noticed you have been upset these past few days. We might not be able to understand how you're feeling but we want to try. We want to try to comfort you. I only meant to talk. Honest."

Talking? He repeated this in his head while staring at Xenovia. She had no shame as he eyed her up and down. She even chose to wear flashy underwear for this event. This had been totally planned on her end.

"Thank you," he said simply. "But I'm alright. I'll be fine. You don't need to—"

"You're not fine," Irina scolded as she stepped forward. She even wagged a finger at him. He couldn't help but notice her scorned face looked cute. "Ise-kun, you can't notice it but you've been moping around. You don't eat. We never see you in your room which means you're not sleeping. And you've definitely haven't been yourself."

No, he hadn't been eating because he stuffed his face as soon as he could. And he hadn't been sleeping because it was pointless with his stamina.

Although, he didn't have anything to counter with her last statement. He _hadn't_ been himself for multiple reasons. The burden of being a Predator, him failing to protect his friends, the stress of waiting on what to do next, and… the situation with the rest of the Gremory Peerage.

Asia was the only one willing to talk to him. Everyone else was avoiding him like the plague.

"I'm fine," he said a little more forcefully.

"You're not," she repeated. She put her hands on her hips and sighed, "Ise-kun, let me help you. Please. Talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you. We're friends… even if you don't remember me."

"Tell me about that," he latched on to the first thing he could. "You keep mentioning that. You're right; I don't remember. I can't remember. I don't _want_ to remember."

Hurt burned in her eyes. But she was strong, swallowed her emotions, and looked at him squarely. "You and I used to play together when we were younger. We were in grade school. We were neighbors. You used to call me Iri-kun even after you learned I was a girl. You… You were my first kiss."

His brows rose. That… was certainly dangerous information. If Rias ever found out Irina had been—

His heart ached. Rias wasn't talking to him at the moment.

"I moved away because my parents learned I was compatible with the holy sword they guarded," she went on. "We were both sad when I told you I had to move away. We tried to keep in contact with letters but… we eventually grew apart. You entered middle school and I started training as an Exorcist."

He didn't try to remember anything about her. There was a mental defense he had put up. He didn't want to remember a time when his parents were around.

When the Vampire wore their faces after he killed them… it did something to him. Something irreversible.

Remembering them made him remember the Vampire and what he did on that bloodied night.

He didn't share this with Irina. But he did listen to her. He felt numb, as if it had been a story about some other kid she played with instead of himself.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say.

Irina shook her head, "It doesn't matter. It was so long ago. I understand now that Ise and you are two different people. But… that doesn't change the way I feel about you. Even if you don't remember me, will you get to know me?"

That was fair. She wasn't asking him to remember her as his childhood friend. She was asking him to start over even when it hurt her to say it.

"Sure, I'd like that," he said with a warm smile.

She smiled back at him. It was something as small as this that made him feel ten times better. He felt relieved some of the stress had been undone.

"Right then," Xenovia said aloud. "Let's get him on the bed."

"Where did you get that from this conversation?!" Issei bellowed.

"We are friends, correct?" Xenovia blinked at him.

"…Yes?" he half-asked, half-answered, and fully regretted it.

"Then I do not see a problem. With friendship comes benefits. Now, would you like to undress or would you prefer if we do it for you? I've read some men are into that."

Irina's face was scarlet, "That's 'friends with benefits' and it's something completely different in context!"

"I don't see the difference," Xenovia said bluntly as she paced forward. Issei would have moved away if his back wasn't already against the wall. "Lord Hyoudou, Irina has her own reasons for getting closer to her. And I have my own."

"Yeah, you told me," he said while trying to find a way around her without hurting her. She was skilled; she shifted her balance wherever he looked, ready to pounce in front of him if he tried to flee. "You want my child because of some convoluted reason about staying here. I already said I'll take care of you! You don't need to do this!"

"It's more than just that," she said, stopping a few feet away from him. "I am interested in you. I have heard nothing but good stories about you from Asia and Madam Serene. They both spoke very highly of you. I would like to know you better as well. I have an inkling suspicion on what sort of man you are, Lord Hyoudou. I simply wish to serve you and prove myself.

"Will you not accept me into your peerage?"

He stopped squirming for a moment. "I thought you didn't want to become a Devil."

"I refused to join Rias Gremory's peerage," she corrected while shaking her head. "That is because I served Madam Serene. As she served you, it follows to reason I do as well. My attitude for it hasn't changed. She believed in you, Lord Hyoudou. If she did, then so too will I."

She closed the distance in a single step. Her hands pressed against his chest, making his body stiffen and hands reach up to her arms. He forced himself to hold back; he didn't want to hurt her like he did with Rias.

Him pausing gave her ample time to close in and lock lips. Her lips pulled his open as she pressed herself against him.

The feeling of her kiss did something amazing to him. It made his mind melt and muscles relax. It stirred a hunger within him that he had craved.

"Does that suffice?" Xenovia pulled away. Her face was flushed with doubt in her eyes. "I've never kissed a boy before. Usually I practice with Irina for this day—"

"Xenovia! You promised not to tell!" shrieked Irina. Her face had reached a new shade of red since Xenovia jumped in.

Gently, with a great deal of effort, he pushed Xenovia away. He needed to take a breath to gather himself. "T-Thank you but… really, you don't need to do this. I'll think about your request and—"

"You shouldn't fight against it," Xenovia said. She grabbed his hand and began to walk backwards, towards the bed.

…He found himself unable to resist her. His feet were moving on their own.

She yanked one final time as her body fell back onto the mattress, pulling him with her. He was on top of her with his hands on the bed to keep himself upright.

"You can do whatever you like," she said with a serious expression. "I'm not skilled. I am unfamiliar with the touch of a man. So, please, I will trust you on this."

"Xenovia!" pleaded Irina. "Don't get ahead of me! N-No! That's not what I meant! Things like this should be taken slowly!"

He almost pulled away. The resolve to do so started to form in his mind.

Xenovia reached up and clasped his face between her hands. She made sure he didn't look away from her. "I'm not like Irina, Lord Hyoudou. I'm not good with emotions or understanding the heart. I've been told I'm blunt and ignorant about other's feelings. This is all I can do to help you. Please, use me as you like. Vent all your frustrations onto me. I will gladly accept them."

"…I don't want to _use_ you," he said while removing her hands. "That's not right. I'm never going to be the guy who uses girls like that. I'd never forgive myself."

Xenovia's eyes widened slightly. Genuine surprise filled her. "Then… how shall we do this? Would you like to lay instead while I get on top? I'm not sure how I will be but I am a fast learner."

…The things that comes out of this girl's mouth.

"You're serious about this," he said.

"Yes," it was Irina who answered. Her face was burning and he could hear her heart racing. But she said with a determined expression. "Ise-kun means the world to me. I… I-I love you, Ise-kun. I love you very much. So, yes, I wouldn't mind doing something like this. It's because I love you."

"…Even if I don't?" he asked before he could retract his words.

Her eyes widened slightly. But steel came after.

"Yes," she said unflinching. "Even if. It's because I love you, Ise-kun. I want to show you how much."

She stepped up to him with a hand on his shoulder. He rose to meet her. She hesitated, gripping the hem of his sleeve. She stood on her toes, reaching up to him with her eyes closed and mouth slightly puckered for a kiss.

He had to meet her to accept her feelings. Her kiss was soft and quick, no more than a peck at first. She pulled her head back quickly as if it had burned. But then she came back, more determined than ever. Her touch was gentle yet full of passion that was barely suppressed.

She did love him. She loved him as much as Asia and Rias did. He could not understand why. But he accepted her. He found his hands wrapping around her waist and returning her kiss.

Irina let out a moan of pleasure and long-needed relief. He felt her body shiver in his arms as she reinforced the kiss.

There were small tears in her eyes when she pulled away.

"I'm sorry," she said softly and wiped the corner of her eyes. "I didn't think this could happen. I always hoped but…"

Saying such words with that look in her eyes made him blush. Irina was really cute. He himself didn't believe he would have had a chance with a bombshell like her. She was pretty, she was passionate, and she had a killer body.

His hand was pulled away from her… and pressed with something that sent electricity up his arm and down his spine.

While Irina had been swapping spit with him, Xenovia had been finishing her preparations. She had removed the last of her underwear. His hand was pressed over her right breast. He gave it a squeeze out of natural reaction.

So firm and soft at the same time! Only something as magnificent as breasts could be physically possible!

 _~Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan!~_ cheered the voices in his head.

And he agreed with them.

"Do not keep us waiting, Lord Hyoudou," Xenovia called to him. "We are just as eager as you are. Will you have me first? Or Irina? Or will you take us both?"

"W-Wait!" Irina shut her eyes closed as she pushed Issei away… or tried to. He didn't move and it ended up with her stumbling backwards. "I haven't fully prepared myself for this!"

"Then I will be going first," Xenovia announced, walked on her knees to the edge of the bed, and reached for Issei's pants. He didn't fight her as she undid his belt and buttons.

She did pause when she pulled his pants down, boxers and all in one grip. His lower self was in front of her eyes.

"I, uh…" she was at a loss for words as she poked at it. "It… It's bigger than the practice dummies. I'm not sure if it would fit."

Irina had her hands over her face… but had a tiny gap between her fingers to peek through.

Xenovia's hands felt warm as she wrapped her fingers around him and started to move slowly. He jerked at the sensation but steadied himself. He felt both excitement and embarrassment for her doing this.

Then, she did something he never would have expected. He thought she was just checking out the merchandise.

She leaned forward and put her mouth over it.

Heat and electricity swept through him as he felt her tongue reach every corner of him.

"Ish bi'er than oi—" she tried to speak.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Irina stuttered uncontrollably.

"Yeah, don't," Issei pleaded. It felt like he was about to give out when she did. It had only been a few seconds. How lame would it be if he finished this soon?

She was good. Very good. Almost too good and it concerned him. But… she mentioned she had practiced. But on what, exactly?

It felt like he was on fire as he nearly blanked out. His head was swimming with bliss. Xenovia started small, teasing him with her movements. But as she grew more comfortable, she began to challenge herself. He noticed after each stroke she dared to take him in deeper.

He let out a gasp as his member had reached the back of her throat.

She pulled it out, gasping for air and panting. "I… think… that's enough. You're ready. Take me, Lord Hyoudou. Have your way with me."

She lied down on the mattress with her legs dangling over. She was fully exposed for him to take.

He leaned over her; the tip of his member touching her. He didn't enter her just yet. He made sure to look at her in the face first.

"Call me Issei," he asked. "You don't need to call me Lord anything. Not if you're doing something like this. Shidou-san doesn't."

Xenovia studied him for a moment, "Then, may you call me by my name? And Irina as well?"

He looked at Irina— who had her hands over her mouth with her face so red he was worried she would pass out. She could only nod as she continued to watch them proceed.

"Alright," he returned to Xenovia. "Please take good care of me, X-Xenovia."

"I will be in your care, Issei," she returned while wrapping her arms around his neck.

There was some resistance at first. He struggled for a moment to align himself properly. And it was difficult to enter her. But he managed slowly. Xenovia's breathing hitched as she tightened her grip around him. She lifted her legs, placing them around his waist to allow him smoother entry.

He pushed forward and felt a deeper resistance that broke. Xenovia's grip tightened as her lips twitched in pain.

The smell of blood hit him seconds afterwards.

"I-I thought you said you were practicing!" he said and tried to pull out.

She wrapped her legs around him tighter, refusing to let go. "Yes, but not for penetration. I heard Dragons only have an interest in virgins."

He looked at her. "Um… Maybe? I have a broad range of interests. But I'm mainly a breast guy."

"…Oh," Xenovia blinked. "Perhaps I should have done so to make this more enjoyable. Do not be concerned with me, Issei. I have been trained to tolerate pain. This is nothing."

He didn't believe her for an instant. He chose to try and stimulate her a little bit to distract her.

And no better way of doing that was to put his face between her breasts with a hand fondling one of them. What a sweet sensation that was! Xenovia's breasts were great. They fit right in his hands. He could feel the muscle packed underneath, which added a unique feeling to them.

Xenovia was starting to let out small noises the more he played. He took that as his cue to proceed.

He moved slowly, letting her insides open up gradually on their own. Xenovia squirmed under him in a cross of pain and delight. She was still sensitive to the pain despite what she claimed.

He, meanwhile, struggled to not finish early before getting her off. He had his own pride. Even with his stamina as a Dragon would he wilt if he finished before she did. Focusing on that while trying to make this pleasant for her was harder than juggling.

"You can be a little rough, Issei," Xenovia said in a sultry voice. Her face was red and her eyes were liquid. There was a tint of desire in her voice.

…Did she get turned on from the pain?

He chose to be a little daring and comply with her… suggestion. He began to pick up speed.

Her back arched as her head bent upwards. Her legs tightened around him as she let loose a groan of ecstasy.

"X-Xenovia…" Irina's voice was shaky and low. She had moved closer to the bed with wide eyes staring straight at the action. "H-H-How are you feeling?"

"H-Harder…" was Xenovia's response.

He complied and was rewarded with a new series of groans. Her hips began to move, more than likely without her fully aware of it. She clamped down on him, moving against him in a rhythm that matched with her desires. She was panting as it went on, pulling herself up with her arms around his neck. Their eyes met, never daring to look away.

She finished first. Her hips stopped moving as her face twisted. Her arms and legs squeezed at him… and then suddenly lost their strength. She struggled to hold on to him as she fought to catch her breath.

"Again," she said. "You haven't… Not yet…"

"L-L-L-Let me," Irina said. "I t-think I'm ready. A-And… I wouldn't mind having Ise-kun's b-baby…"

The rational part of his mind was coming up with all sorts of excuses to not have her go down that route. But his mind was elsewhere, shoved into the deepest reaches out of hearing distance. Nothing but carnal desire was guiding him at this point.

He pulled Irina in for a kiss. She gasped in surprise, but then melted away from his touch. She returned his kiss with her own.

She gasped a little louder when his hand reached up and fondled her breasts. They were bigger than Xenovia's. His hands could sink into them even with the clothing on. This clothing… they were in the way.

"I-Ise-kun, wait!"

He couldn't. He tore her shirt open and flicked the ruined fabric to the floor. He took her, carrying her to the bed, climbing on top of it, and putting her down at the center.

"Wait, no," she said to him. "I… L-Let me be on top. I want to service Ise-kun…"

She sat up and began to undress, unzipping her skirt and tossing it off the edge. He, meanwhile, pulled off his shirt and the pants that dangled at his ankles.

She gulped as she eyed him. Her face turned a different shade of red as her eyes glowed with surprise and admiration. There was even a hunger in them.

She pulled off her underwear with some hesitance and gestured for him to lie down. He did; she threw herself on top of him.

She didn't move right away. Her lips pecked his softly, tenderly, lovingly. Her eyes blinked away tears as she prepared herself. She pulled herself away from him, hands embarrassed to touch him, and raised her hips.

Irina started to breathe heavy as she began to lower herself. Her face scrunched up in pain the further she moved. But sheer determination filled her. She did not wait for her body to become accustomed to the pain. She forced herself to accept all of him.

She lurched forward, falling on top of him as soon as she was full. Her chest heaved against his, doing amazing things with her breasts. He held her to him while she regained her bearings.

Her hips began to move when she was ready. Groans of pain and sobbing came from her. But when she sat up, having her hips grind against him, nothing but pure bliss was on her. She smiled at him with tears streaming down.

She shrieked when Xenovia came from behind and began to fondle with her breasts.

"That's not enough, Irina," Xenovia said. "You have to enjoy it as well."

"X-X-Xenovia! That's— unnnn— don't do that! You know I'm weak there— aaaaahhhhnnnn!"

They _had_ been practicing. Xenovia's hands worked in ways only she knew how. They knew Irina extremely well, getting at her most sensitive spots. Irina squirmed in resistance; it made her body shudder every time she moved against Issei.

His heart was pounding as white was starting to fill his vision.

Watching Xenovia play with Irina's breasts was what excited him too much. He threw his hips into Irina hard enough to have her gasp. He felt her tighten as he filled her. The act of filling her had made her finish alongside him. Her lower half spazzed as she fell forward, hands against his chest to keep herself upright.

She fell completely on top of him when her body stopped shaking. She was panting and beaded with sweat. Every now and then did she twitch with aftershocks of pleasure.

"I can't… move…" she panted.

Xenovia was not gentle as she pushed her off, rolling her to Issei's side. Nor was she compassionate about how sensitive he was after getting off. His member was still stiff and she chose at that moment to go for a second round.

It entered far more easily than the last time. She moaned in delight and began to grind her hips at her own pace.

He felt frustrated for her doing what she wanted. He sat up abruptly, put his face at the nape of her neck, and grabbed each side of her hips. He fought against her movements, changing the pace to something more ferocious. He was the one in charge. Not her.

His control had her moaning louder.

It took only a few minutes for her to climax.

He didn't stop while she did so.

"I-Issei! Wait! I'm still—" she let out a gasp as she fell back.

He moved to lay on top of her and continue his pace.

This time, he kissed her. Surprise flashed through her. But her body tingled and tightened at the touch. Her eyes drooped to semi-consciousness as she embraced him.

"Ise-kun… that's not fair…" sobbed Irina.

He pulled her from where she lay, being careful as to not pull her arm out of her socket. She stirred, assisting him with her own efforts, and came to him. While having his fill with Xenovia, he cupped a hand around Irina's cheek and kissed her. She let out a moan of bliss at his affection and returned his own. She grew excited from the kiss alone. His other hand played with her; her hips moved on their own according to his touch.

It went on. He shared them just as they shared him. He took them both for himself to fulfill his desires as well as to satisfy their own.

He didn't stop until both were unconscious. The stamina of a Dragon transcended that of a normal human. Their training as Exorcists kept them above even some professional athletes. But it could only provide so much to keep up with him.

It wasn't the physical need that satisfied him. It was their companionship that did.

He showered in the bathroom attached to the room, got dressed in the spare clothes, and left them to rest.

He was in better spirits. It felt like a great burden had been removed from his shoulders. Maybe, just maybe, he could confide with those two on his personal issues. Irina, he knew, would be more than willing to hear him out. And Xenovia would do just the same even if most things flew over her head.

The World was telling him something. Something he would normally ignore. It was a low-level threat announcement. Someone who could never dream of harming him or getting past his draconian resistance was wanting to do a great deal of harm to him. It was one of the millions, close to a billion, number of threats he received daily from the World.

But this one… this one he knew.

He followed it, heading down the stairs, and stepping through into the kitchens.

He found Koneko sitting on a stool by the kitchen counter. A glass of milk was in her hands with a tray of cookies. Both hadn't been touched.

As soon as he entered, her eyes flicked up towards him. She was surprised to see him for a brief instant.

That instant lasted no longer than a blink. Outrage swept through her at such a level he didn't know could exist anywhere else.

Without warning, she threw the glass right at him.

He could have blocked it. He could have caught it without spilling any of its contents. But the World warned him she would throw something else at him. Instead, he ducked.

The glass shattered against the swinging door behind him.

She leapt off of her stool and debated about throw the tray at him next. She didn't. Her eyes were furious at him.

"You… are the absolute _worst_ ," she hissed through blind rage. "I hate you, sempai."

Without waiting for his response, she brushed past him and left the kitchen.

0-0-0

 _ **The Hierarchy**_

 _ **The 3x3 Kings… and the Abyss…**_

All manner of existence comes from those who have absolute authority over creation. They are the first of all existence. They are heralded as Originals and are at the highest rank in the hierarchy of the omniverse, for they are the absolute, true, almighty, and undeniable beings.

The eldest and mightiest of the Originals would be the 3x3 Kings: the Kings of Three and the Trinity Kings. Both types of Kings have devised their own laws in which defines the three types of existence. These being Being/Truth, Purpose/Presence, and Progress/Unity. Though the Kings of Three and the Trinity Kings have alternative definitions, both of their parallel Laws share the same ultimatum.

They were the ones who decided what it means to exist. Anything that does not comply with these Laws simply does not exist.

However, there was a grave flaw in their design. The Trinity Kings fell in love… and were betrayed by that love. Their power waned, their forms vanished, and the Kings of Three were left to reign in their stead.

Through that Betrayal, through their incomprehensible and impossible erasure, did an error occur. A gap was made. _That which doesn't exist_ came into being.

This error, this glitch, is deemed the Abyss for its lack of existence.

The Abyss does not, cannot, will not, may not, shall not, and perhaps not exist. To call it the Abyss is also inaccurate as it would imply the Abyss is a _something_ , and therefore a part of existence.

It has been the bane of the omniverse since the time of the First Betrayal. Errors have occurred since then.

One such irregularity is the birth of aberrations called Lingering Residue. When something ceases to exist, they no longer exist, they are removed from existence, and there is _nothing_ left of them to locate. Yet, Lingering Residues remain despite their erasure. They are the expressions of the Abyss who refuse to fade away from existence.

Their presence alone (or the lack of in the first place) create a gap in existence and continue to tear into the fabric of reality. They eat away at existence, erasing everything they come in contact with, and spread the gap they create further.

Nothing can oppose the Abyss save the intervention of an Original. Specifically, through a means that will allow the creation of a new existence to fill in the gap. Such as the Guardians, who are said to be sponsored by one of the 3x3 Kings in their efforts to oppose the Abyss.

There are three Lingering Residues above all other types that even the likes of an Original cannot overcome… for they are workings of the Abyss robbed from the highest Originals themselves.

The most recent being the Black Sun— a collective sum of souls after the Law of Presence was removed from the omniverse. An innumerable amount of Worlds were lost, save those created by Rulers/Dreamers who can make their own [False] Worlds. But it is only in due time until they perish, for their energy will run out without the Law of Presence.

The second recent would be Betrayal, the act of a traitor who turned her back against the Originals and denied their love. Her actions had created the act of spawning further Betrayers that may come from anyone within the 3x3 Kings' Realm. If they turn their backs on their selves, on their World, and on the one they love the most will they be claimed by the Abyss and no longer exist. Yet they will walk among the existing realm as abominations.

And the last Lingering Residue would be the Triangular Beast. It is the event of the death of the Trinity Kings upon their Betrayal. Over the course of time, however, it has grown with the death of the remaining 3x3 Kings, the Kings of Three.

Nothing save the full might of the Guardians can compel the beast. They cannot defeat it, merely force it into submission. It had served them as a protector against those who would try to let loose their prisoner that would end all existence…

…Until one such man stole the beast and brought it where the Guardians would never dare to come.


	10. Bromance

Sona stood at the door. Her legs had carried her here on their own volition ever since she stepped out of the teleportation circle. Her mind was on autopilot and she hadn't realized she had arrived until her legs stopped moving.

Her hands clutched her purse a little too hard. It was hurting her knuckles and it took a bit of effort for them to relax.

She _had_ to be perfect for this evening. The fate of her peerage relied entirely on it.

It was why she asked her sister for… advice. She swallowed her pride and went to her sister's opinion on charm, appeal, and fashion. While Serafall Leviathan had questionable taste, she was the previous heir to House Sitri and had been taught _everything_ in the art of seduction.

Of course, Sona didn't reveal her true intentions. She chose her words carefully and orchestrated a scapegoat. Her sister hadn't been fooled but she also didn't question it. The excuse was Sona wanted to reward Saji for his efforts as well as to welcome him back home.

She silently apologized to Saji. He was left in the hospital wards overseeing the recovery of his teammates while she went off on this errand. He hadn't been happy, almost furious, but his fury had been cold and calculating. It had been tamed. He could control it. He understood the importance of her mission and wished her the best of luck.

Saji… had grown. He was no longer a boy she fretted over. He couldn't even be called a man just yet. He was… a soldier. One who had been programmed to accept orders without opinion and carry them out dutifully and wholeheartedly.

She wanted to know what it was the Knight of the Round put him through within the past month.

But right now… she had to worry about her role as a King. She was responsible for every member of her peerage. And she needed to do _anything_ to get them back.

…Anything.

"Oh hi there!" a chirpy voice squealed beside her. It made her jump. "You must be Sona! Junior's told us all about you!"

Sona's heart was hammering by the surprise. She reeled back her emotions and steadied herself. It only took a few heartbeats to get her mind back in order.

There was a man and a woman in the cramped hallway. Two normal humans as far as she could tell without anything special about them. The woman was a few inches taller than her with cascading chestnut hair and cocoa-colored eyes. She had a small noise and thin lips. And she was exerting a presence of absolute joy. There wasn't a single sad bone in her body and it shone through her smile and eyes.

The man… was bland. Boring even. He was a complete contrast to the woman. Other than his brown hair and green eyes… Sona didn't have any other reason to describe him.

When her eyes looked away from him, she completely forgot about his presence entirely.

The woman's eyes flashed with recognition as if what Sona had done had happened innumerable amount of times and knew it was going to happen another innumerable amount. Her eyes flicked to her company with sympathy before returning to Sona.

"It's so nice to finally meet you," the woman practically threw the box of wine and cake into the arms of the man suddenly. And the man caught them with expectancy.

Let it be known Sona wasn't a hugger. This woman had closed the distance in a blink and wrapped her thin arms into a tight grip around her.

"I'm Louise," the woman pulled away and stood back. "And this is my husband, Artemis. Say hello, honey."

The man said something as he shifted his balance with what Louise threw at him plus what he was already carrying. It could have been a greeting. It could have been a grunt. It could have been a curse. It could have been anything.

Sona couldn't hear it. She didn't assume anything. She wasn't sure if she returned the gesture all the same.

Once again, the man's presence was forgotten as she returned her attention to Louise.

"Junior?" questioned Sona. "Do you mean Mr. Arlington?"

Louise's smile shifted as she giggled. "Arlington? Yes, I think so. Anywho, I'm so glad we're not the only ones late. And knowing him he's probably running around getting things ready. Artemis, can you—"

The man replied with something, making Louise's smile brighten. He moved around Sona like a phantom… or, to be more specific, like the squiggly lines in her eyes. Whenever she tried to look his way was he out of her attention. And her mind told her it wasn't significant enough to pay attention to in the first place. She forgot about him in the span of two seconds.

…Until he kicked open the door, having it swing fast inside the complex and hitting into the wall. But the wall was cushioned with a piece of cut rubber matt. This was a common occurrence, apparently.

"The doors are falling apart…" whined Louise. "A lot keep complaining about them. A few years back they swung outwards— kept hitting people walking through! Mama and I finally got them fixed but the contractors didn't do a good job. Anyone like Artemis can break in. But it makes a lot of noise… But the tenants have also gotten used to it."

"…Perhaps I came at the wrong time," Sona said. "I did not take into consideration Mr. Arlington was about to have guests."

"You mean he didn't tell you?" Louise pouted as she put her hands on her hips. "That man. I thought he invited you. I mean, why bother telling us about you and tonight if the guest of honor doesn't know about it herself? Or… Oh my. Sweetheart, you're a little young to be doing things like this. And Junior is so old…"

She finally noticed Sona's attire. Sona was dressed in an elegant yet casual blue and white dress. It had a low cut to dip into the cleavage of her _modest_ chest plus a slit at the side of the skirt to reveal her right thigh whenever she walked. She also wore heels, which added two inches to her height. Her makeup had been applied gently to draw out her eyes and the flush of her cheeks. And she wore some light jewelry such as a pair of earrings and a necklace.

Sona was dressed to impress. She wasn't sure what sort of character the Ruler of the World would take into consideration. After all, he was the _Ruler of the World._ She was sure he had seen just about every type of woman since the dawn of history. Trying too hard and she would look desperate, yet being too modest could insult him.

She found a balance and hoped it would work.

"I… had business with Mr. Arlington," she supplied.

"That man…" Louise sighed with a hand to her cheek. "When he said he liked younger women I didn't think he'd be such a predator. I should have paid closer attention when he talked about you. When he said he liked you I didn't think he _liked_ you. Sona, quick, run before he realizes you're here!"

"…The relationship between Mr. Arlington and I is strictly professional," she didn't know _why_ she was trying to convince this lady otherwise. "I am here to talk further about my role as his assistant. Please do not come to your own conclusion."

Louise stood there for a moment. Her eyes didn't believe her. Especially when she took another note of Sona's appearance.

"That's just what Louise does," Jay stepped into the walkway. He was dressed in a polo and some jeans. He didn't wear shoes. "She'll hear one part of a story and form a completely obscure fantasy on her own without hearing the rest. Hey, Louise, remember that one time when Caroline used to live here?"

"T-That was a very long time ago, Junior," Louise fidgeted where she stood. Her cheeks became red as she looked away. "Ms. Cloverfield was a very attractive and young girl. I remember being in high school at her age. H-How was I supposed to know—"

"Okay, okay," Jay put up his hand. He smiled in good humor at her. "No need to blow a circuit. Come in already. Dinner's almost ready."

He moved aside to allow Louise entry. But he put up a hand for Sona, looked behind him, stepped out into the walkway, and shut the door behind him.

"Hey, how's it going?" he asked without meeting her gaze. His lips twitched as he regretted what he asked.

"Mr. Arlington, I did not mean to intrude. I did not know you were having guests."

"…Every now and then I have dinner with friends," Jay said slowly as if drawing each individual word from every corner of his mind. "That means you as well, Sona. And, please, we talked about this. Call me Jay. You're making me feel old. I'm hardly in my thirties…"

He paused as he eyed her. A brow was raised as he took in her appearance.

"You… look nice," he said and meant it. "Like… wow. If you were a little older— A-Ah… Forget it. Excuse me. You didn't have to dress up so formally for me. I mean, you're making me feel embarrassed. If I knew you were coming in like this I would have dressed a bit better. Rent a tux or something. Instead, I'm in this…"

Formal? She wasn't wearing formal attire. But… perhaps in his eyes she was? The dress wasn't the most expensive piece she owned.

…Then again, her sister had dressed her with the intention (but not the expectancy) of impressing Saji. The Ruler had a different sense of value with his own opinion of interest.

"It would have been an insult to one of your station otherwise," she chose to say to both cover her mistake as well as to appeal to him.

His face soured. "You're such a stickler. But, alright, it's who you are. Why don't you come in and have a bite to eat. I'll even not tell if you wanna drink."

"Thank you, Mr. Arlington, but…" she eyed the door where Louise and her husband were behind. "I was hoping to talk to you in private. It is rather urgent. If I could have a little of your time—"

"Artemis works for me," Jay cut her off. "And his wife is in the know. Anything you have to say to me can be shared with them. They might even be able to help you in ways I can't."

"In such a way even the Ruler of the World can't?" she blinked.

He nodded, "I have a suspicion on why you're here. It has something to do with what happened in Kuoh a few days ago, yeah?"

Her lips thinned as she gave a slow single nod.

"Come in, kick your legs up, and relax," he said with one hand against the door. "I'll listen to you once dinner is over. Just… let me take care of you for a bit, 'kay?"

She didn't say anything.

He pushed against the door. It didn't budge. He gave her a nervous smile, put up a finger to wait, and slammed his shoulder against it a few times. It didn't budge any further.

He stepped back and tried to kick it. The door groaned but didn't move from its frame.

"You'd not believe how many times I've been locked out because of this," he shared while bending over to rub his shin. "Had to circle around and climb up to reach the window a few times."

She thought about doing it herself. A basic kinetic spell could have done it.

The door opened as someone jerked it free from the inside.

Sona's breath hitched in her throat. It was the man but… something about him had changed drastically. His hair wasn't just brown— it was copper. His eyes weren't just green— they shone like emeralds. And he was tall, oh so very tall, with at least a full foot in height above her. He was packed with muscle— completely useful muscle with purpose instead of the bulging nonsense of body builders.

He was also handsome in ways that made Devils envious and the Angels from Heaven Fall. He had the beauty they had tried and failed to replicate. He had all of their chiseled features without the over exaggeration. He was _flawed,_ which added a new level of depth that couldn't be comprehended by any of the supernatural kind.

Their eyes met. His narrowed. He didn't hide the utmost loath and disgust he had when looking at her. It was as if she was a cockroach that needed to be exterminated… but was compelled from doing so. He wanted nothing to do with her.

"Thanks, Arty," Jay said with a smile.

"Don't call me that," Artemis breathed out. There was less disgust in his eyes when he looked at Jay. He _tolerated_ Jay instead of outright loathe him in contrast with Sona. But the desire to stay away from him was still there.

He stepped away from the door, turned, and walked back into the walkway. Though his back was turned… he had this gaunt about him that said he was still watching them. His steps were silent and steady. There wasn't a single instant when he could have been caught off balance.

Sona realized she remembered this man's name. Everything about the man she could suddenly recall. Everything she had dismissed as unimportant came rushing back when she thought about him. Whatever had happened behind the closed door had released whatever mystery he had used to conceal himself.

His name was Artemis and he worked for the Ruler.

"That's…" her voice shook and could barely be heard. Her hands were clammy as a cold sweat started to surface. Her body recognized it before her mind could. This sense of dread. The acknowledgement of death looming around the corner.

"Yes, he is," Jay sighed as he scratched the ridge of his brow. "Artemis James Philips. The recently ranked Second Predator."

Now, more than ever, Sona didn't want to be here.

"He won't bite," Jay assured her as he put a hand on her shoulder. Her mind fought against him but her body moved forward with his gentle push. "Louise would kill him if he did. Hell hath no fury and all that."

Another thing that worried Sona was… as soon as she passed through the doorway. She felt something like spider webs brush past her. It felt like she walked through a layer of cold mist.

…And it had taken something from her. Her demonic energy was left outside the doorstep.

"It's a barrier I had Dick make," Jay explained as he shut the door. "Keeps all the baddies at bay. They can't enter unless I invite them. And even then, anything not mundane is left outside. You'll be able to pick it back up as soon as you leave. And don't worry about Artemis. You have my protection. I promise."

Now, Sona felt naked. No, she felt more than just naked. It felt like she had been stripped of her clothes and let out to the blizzard with a pack of hungry wolves on the prowl. She had no means to defend herself. Even if she knew her Devilry could never match against a Predator, it was still a comforting thing to have. It was like a small candle— too small to warm her and not enough light to see, but more than enough to grant the illusion of protection.

The Ruler's apartment was a small studio. A very small studio. It held a single room, a kitchen to the side, a closet, and a bathroom. Bookshelves filled with booklets too thin to even be magazines filled them with tabs sticking out to label them. In the corner was a raised desk and lamp— something used for sketching. There was a small couch that could only fit two pushed to the side to make room for the fold-out table at the direct center.

"Junior, I trust you, but you didn't do anything to Sona while you were alone, did you?" Louise accused from her spot on the couch as she flipped through one of the things from the bookshelf.

It was a comic, Sona realized. The bookshelves were filled to the brim with comics.

"If I've ever heard of an oxymoron," Jay grumbled. He didn't answer Louise as he stepped back into the kitchen.

Predator Philips had his back leaning against the side wall near his wife. It was the utmost position that allowed him to see every corner of the studio, the door, and the single window. He kept his eyes focused on Sona the most.

"Oh, leave her alone," Louise scolded as she slapped his thigh. He let out a low grunt in response. "Sona, honey, are you hungry? Hopefully Junior doesn't make something too awful this time."

"I heard that!" Jay shouted from the kitchen.

"I know~" Louise called out with a playful smile. She turned back to Sona, "Don't just stand there. Make yourself at home! Go ahead and snoop wherever you like."

"Don't bother," Jay said as he carried several plates of food in each arm. "Dinner's ready."

"Already?" questioned Louise.

"I said it was almost done. Come get it while it's hot."

It was Artemis who reached the table first, pulling out a chair for his wife. She took it with a smile but her eyes shone as she read his intent like a book. Artemis' eyes locked onto Jay's briefly before taking a corner at Louise's left. Jay moved to the seat at Artemis' left, pulled it out, and gestured for Sona to approach.

She _really_ didn't want to sit next to Predator Philips. Having a few inches further from him at the same table didn't make any more difference than being in opposite sides of the same room. It was another cold comfort. But… she had no choice.

She took the seat. Jay was a gentleman who pushed it in for her as she sat down.

She realized the arrangements had been made so Predator Philips could keep an eye on her while keeping her away from his wife. He sat rigid with one hand under the table. His eyes didn't look her way yet she could still feel him staring at her.

"Oh my God, you didn't cook!" Louise said with enthusiasm. She clasped her hands together and looked at her dish.

…Sona realized it was the same dish he had ordered at the restaurant they were last at. Spaghetti noodles with butter, garlic, bacon, and mushrooms.

"You make it sound like I can't cook at all!" Jay whined as he took his own seat, placing his apron on the corner of his chair.

Louise gave him a look.

"I wouldn't call that cooking," Artemis commented.

"Fuck off," Jay said with a bit of humor in his voice. "Hold on, I forgot the drinks. Louise, I'm going to guess you want the wine you brought?"

"You're not going to have any?" she asked with a tinge of hurt.

"Why can't you be _normal_ and buy wine from a bottle? Who buys boxed wine? It's gross."

"It's just the same as boxed!"

"It tastes weird," retorted Artemis.

"You don't even drink!" snapped Louise.

Artemis shrugged, "Water. I'll have water."

"Philistines," Jay said to both of them. "Sona, beer or wine? Or would you like something harder?"

"Just water is fine, thank you," she said a little stiffly.

"Beer or wine?" he repeated in the same tone. "Or would you like something harder?"

"Sona, you have got to try this wine!" Louise pleaded. "I wouldn't want to finish it all by myself."

"Like last time," said Jay and Artemis in unison.

Louise flushed as she recalled something in the past.

"…Then, I'll have some wine, please," Sona relented.

Louise beamed at her.

A minute later, Jay returned with three glasses of wine and… a sippy cup of water.

Artemis stared at it for a long moment. He glared at it almost as hard as he did for Sona. He breathed with his nostrils flaring, twisted off the cap, and sipped from it.

"All that and you get a glass for yourself," Louise commented to Jay.

The wine was sweet. It wasn't something that belonged with a meal like this. It was something more of a desert wine. Then again… Louise had also brought a chocolate cake. This was probably what it was for.

"You can't even taste it," glowered Artemis.

"No, but I am a man," Jay said with a victorious smile. "And real men drink. Itty bitty babies suck on water."

He couldn't taste the wine? It certainly complimented their comments on his cooking. Sona noted it in the back of her mind and chose to say nothing.

"To those who wear the pants in the relationship!" Louise toasted, raising her glass over the table.

"To men!" Jay toasted and raised his glass.

They both looked at Sona with expectations.

"…To… adults?" she chose to say and lifted her glass slightly at eye level.

"Huzzah!" they both cheered and drank from their glasses.

Louise finished hers in a few short gulps.

Artemis didn't show any reaction as he sipped from his Red Blur cup. His eyes studied Louise as she downed her wine and took a few bites of her meal.

Sona blinked. Artemis, without her noticing, had finished his plate.

"Do you even _taste_ it or just swallow?" Jay had noticed as well.

"It tastes better than your cooking," Artemis said without emotion. "Louise is the one who swallows without tasting."

Louise, in response, slapped his arm.

There was the briefest of smiles on Artemis. Nothing more than a twitch before he compelled his face to remain as neutral as it had been before.

"So, Sona," Louise's eyes flicked over the table towards her. Her cheeks were still pink from the wordplay. "Do you happen to have a boyfriend?"

Louise had been teasing her earlier. Had she been this frazzled to not have noticed the relationship between her and Jay was a joke?

The question had also thrown her off. Her love life was nonexistent. There wasn't any boy she could think of that had her interest. Especially with recent events. The idea of having a boyfriend was something she never considered. Perhaps in the past when she had little to worry about, but definitely not now.

For the past year and a half she had been taking care of Issei just as much as she was protecting herself. She didn't know how he would react around her when she discovered his secret and chose to become his ally rather than a potential threat. It was what got her one step into the disaster she was in currently.

Even when she washed her hands of Issei and shoved him away… did he bring carnage her way.

She couldn't blame him. It wasn't his fault and she knew it. He had no control over the actions of those around him. For simply being a Predator had him targeted by his peers and their enemies. And being near him guaranteed others would get sucked in.

Issei… had a kind heart. He was a good person who didn't deserve all of the negativity that had pursued him.

But she also couldn't forgive him. She was proud of him for vanquishing the Vampire. He had achieved a dream he believed would never happen. Even if it came at a heavy cost. The general populace of the planet had turned their back on him because of their battle. So many people had perished.

And the death of the Vampire brought the wrath of his family. His brothers invaded Kuoh, assaulted the students, and took many lives.

Including most of Sona's peerage.

"There's no one like that," she chose to say with a sharp voice. "I'm a little too occupied to be worrying about a boyfriend."

"That won't do at all," Louise wagged her finger.

"She's engaged to Chase," Jay commented with a mouth full of food.

Louise eyed him, blinked once, and had her brows furrow in confusion.

"That is a family affair, Mr. Arlington," Sona said urgently.

"She's also engaged to Issei," he went on, ignoring her. "The Dragoon Predator? They're going to be having a Rating Game— a duel of sorts— over it. Issei's _really_ smitten over her."

"That sounds romantic," Louise gasped. "The Red Blur is going to fight, um, Chase over her hand in marriage? Wait. And you know him, Sona?! Oh, please tell me, what's he like?!"

"A manic pervert," she summed it up perfectly. "Everything he does is for the sake of seeing a pair of breasts. The only reason why he's engaged with me is because of a technicality. I can only marry someone who beat me in a game of chess. I play with him all the time to teach him strategy, I pushed him, and I foolishly dangled a prize over his head. He surprised me and beat me."

"Well…" Louise tapped a finger to her chin in thought. "The hero always seems to get the girl in the end. Maybe that's why he became one in the first place?"

Louise was, Sona mused, sharper than she looked. She was half-right about it. The other half of the story was something much darker than she wanted to share.

"Hyoudou is a good man," Artemis said. His voice had a level of respect that was a mix between praise, acknowledgement, and unwilling admittance. "But he isn't wise. Especially when he continues to claim Devils as his wives."

"Wives? Plural?" Louise blinked.

"His dream is to have a harem," Sona explained in a cold and distant tone. "He already has my best friend and one of her servants as his girlfriends."

"…And he's engaged to you?" she questioned.

"He didn't know what he was doing," Jay defended. "All he wanted was to see Sona's tatas. He didn't know about her condition for marriage. And, technically, it was the Leviathan who found the clause. She presented it after Chase became engaged."

"Then… this duel isn't to marry Sona but to have her _not_ marry… Chase?" Louise struggled to say his name as if she had to think about it. She didn't look affected by the alcohol just yet.

…There was something going on here.

"A good man," Artemis repeated, "but not wise."

"Oh, you, hush!" Louise scolded. "I think it's absolutely romantic! He's not fighting for her love. This is the gallant hero swooping in to slay the dragon and save the princess!"

"…He's the dragon."

"You know what I mean."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Predator Philips," Sona announced. "He isn't wise at all. All he's doing is causing more trouble than it is worth. The only reason why he's doing it is because he can't stand Sir Rolan at all. He's ruled by emotion and hasn't thought of the situation thoroughly."

"But you can't ignore he's fighting for you," Jay said next.

"Please, stop," she said sharply.

Jay chewed on his food for a moment while he looked around the table. He shared glances with Artemis and Louise. They both returned with some of their own.

"No, I don't think so," Jay said eventually. "I think you need to hear this."

"Mr. Arlington," she breathed out, mainly to reel back her frustrations.

"If you want me to listen to you, I am going to have you listen to me," he said in a hard voice. "That is my condition. You can take anything I have to say however you want. But you will listen to me. Do you understand?"

They stared at another; it was one of the few times his eyes had met hers. Emotions stirred inside her. It was such a sensitive topic to her. There was nothing to talk about it. She had heard just about everything from her sister and from Rias. They had told her Issei was stressing over the upcoming Rating Game. They told her how hurt he was since their latest conversation— if something so heated could be called such.

Things were as they were in order to teach him. She wanted him to step back and realize what was going on. She wanted him to see he was being irrational. She wanted him to see all of his reactions had been Rolan's intentions from the very beginning. Just as Rolan had orchestrated the events with the Vampire numerous times.

"You have a right to be angry," he said calmly but his eyes remained hardened. "Be angry as much as you want but _only_ towards those who deserve it. To Chase. To the Vampire and his brothers. To yourself even. But do not blame Issei for anything. Not when he's the only ally you have at the moment. All the shit you throw in his face and yet he still tries for you. I would have told you to fuck off.

"It takes something really powerful to keep him from leaving you."

"None of this would have happened if he wasn't around," she snapped.

The Ruler gave out a very bitter, humorless laugh. His eyes flicked towards Artemis while he kept laughing. Artemis bowed his head slightly, only acknowledging the silent conversation they shared in their eyes.

"Kokabiel would have destroyed the academy if Manuel hadn't," the Predator shared. "He had plans to instigate a second Great War. He would have targeted you and Rias Gremory to get a reaction from your siblings. He would have succeeded if Hyoudou wasn't present, as you say."

"The only thing that changed was the enemy getting to him first," Jay explained. "There's also the other shit Issei drove away with his stunt at the Gremory-Phenex Game. Just about every Stray in Japan fled as well as every underground supernatural crook. It also got the attention of Hades and Odin and a few other figureheads. Hades went in his Reapers to scout the area, which caused others to stay clear. If anything, Issei made the entirety of Japan sterile."

Sona said nothing, quietly listening to the Ruler and his Predator leak information willingly. He knew things she didn't. He had shared in their previous meeting he was aware of what could have happened based on the choices of others. He knew what happened, what triggered it, and how to avoid it if needed.

She was reminded he was the Ruler of the World. He knew everything that happened within his domain.

"In regards to my peerage…" she said quietly. "Did you know about the brothers and what they would do?"

"That almost sounds like an accusation," Predator Philips leaned forward.

Louise pinched his arm and gave him a glare.

"I knew of them," Jay admitted. "I knew they would take revenge for the Vampire. What I didn't foresee was them dragging Saint Vice with them. Saint Vice went missing from my vision as soon as Chase announced his vendetta against the Church. It was only recent I discovered she worked for the enemy…"

"Their attack would have failed without her," Artemis continued. "Even with her, the damages would have been kept to a minimum. The Divine Beast would have won and could have brought those fallen back."

"But the enemy got to her instead," Jay growled. "Something forced her to use the Dolorous Stroke. I've never seen her use it since…"

His face hardened as he let the sentence die out.

"Something went horribly wrong, Sona," he said next. "Something that I didn't have the power to foresee or stop. Two of my Predators are gone and we've come against a force that can match them in fair game. Every now and then someone or something shows up that's superior to the previous generation but this… this is something different.

"They called themselves… _Hunters,_ " he finished with a sour expression.

"Will you blame me as well, Sona?" he asked. "If you are going to hate Issei for the death of your servants then you should turn that hatred against me as well. I knew about the brothers. I didn't tell any of you and because I didn't forewarn were people hurt. I am the one who installed the Predator system; I am the reason why Issei is such a danger to those around him."

"…Mr. Arlington, what would you do if you were in my situation?" Sona asked after a long pause.

His face shifted into something unrecognizable. "I have been in your situation."

She waited. He didn't respond so she pressed, "And…?"

He looked away, adjusted the rim of his glasses, and took a sip of the wine. She almost thought he wasn't going to answer her until he put up a finger to make her wait further. He took his time to finish the wine.

"The previous world," he began to explain with a distant voice. "Someone killed my brother. I wanted nothing but revenge. It drove me to survive through the war. But it also consumed my friends. Sarah and Ginger left after they called me a monster— they died a few days after because I didn't follow them. I killed Janice when she tried to get in my way. I left John to the enemy.

"And then when I come to the finale, when I face my brother's killer…"

Louise excused herself to get another glass. She took Jay's empty glass with her.

He put up another hand before Sona could speak.

"My brother was never dead. I had been gravely wrong. The one who I thought killed my brother _was_ my brother all along. It had been a ruse— a masquerade for him. He had killed the one I sought after and took his identity. I didn't know it was him until… it was too late."

"I was young, arrogant, and outright pissed off beyond control. I killed a lot of people indiscriminately. I could tell you I did it to protect myself as we were in war but… I just hated them so much. I didn't just kill the soldiers. I killed everyone who got in my way. The mundane. The Acolytes. Even my own teammates.

"…Until I was the last one left.

"So, yes, Sona, I have been in your situation and I let my anger consume me. Everyone I loved wasn't killed by the enemy. They died because they believed in me and I failed them. They died because I betrayed them. They died because I sacrificed them.

"Will you also turn your back on Rias? On your sister? On Issei?"

"…I am not interested in revenge, Mr. Arlington," Sona spoke. Her voice had cracked. Her hands were shaking by the intensity of his voice. "I only want what's best for my peerage. I want to save them."

He leaned back in his chair, making the wood groan. It was thunderous compared to the silence the topic had demanded. "You once told me you had no interest in being the Ruler of the World. You said it was cheating."

"She said she found it to be unfair and unsatisfying," Artemis quoted. "She respects hard work and plans on achieving her dreams through her own merits. It's suffocating to have all of her things handed down from the Sitri House."

Sona's face paled. While it hadn't been an exact quote, they had still been the same words she used. Simply rearranged in a different order. They were the things she had said to the Ruler the last time they met in the shabby restaurant.

It meant Predator Philips had been there. Close enough to listen into the conversation and she hadn't noticed at all.

Jay nodded at him. "Being at the pinnacle of all things, wasn't it? Well, Sona, do you still believe what you said holds merit? I mean, look at it this way, you won't make things easier for you because you're a hard worker. Do you think what happened to your peerage still applies?"

She felt the blood drain from her face. "Does this mean you are unwilling to help me? That's hardly fair. You said you would at least listen to me."

"Fair enough," the Ruler placed one elbow on the table and leaned towards her. "Then tell me something I don't know. I'm listening."

…She didn't have anything to say. Her mind failed to respond to her. Desperation swam through her, making matters worse. Her thoughts became a jumbled mess as she tried to cling on to any idea to convince him.

"The dead should remain dead," Artemis said with disdain.

"It's not a question of charity, morality, or me taking pity on you, Sona," Jay said with a calmer voice. There was still a bit of an edge to it, however. "It's a matter of fairness. I am the Ruler of the World. I cannot make exceptions to a single person. If I devise a Rule in which will grant you a means to bring back the dead… then I must grant this to everyone. The Rule will be installed into the World for _anyone_ to reach out for.

"Let's say I make it so _only_ 'Sona Sitri' applies. There are still so many ways that can go wrong. People can assume the name, can trick the system directly, use a Defiant Work, blackmail you, and so on. Artemis here can tear out your eyes, turn you into one of his Blades, and have a field day starting the zombie apocalypse."

"The dead should remain dead," Artemis repeated.

"Both the Synthesis system and the Predator system are Rules that apply to all things existing within this World," Jay continued. "There are requirements to achieve them, yes. But they are _public._ There are no restrictions."

Sona slouched in her seat as her mind began to settle. The Ruler of the World was denying her request before she could make it. She felt so foolish for trying to deceive him by dressing up. He already knew what she came for. She should have picked it up when Louise commented on her being the guest of honor.

"Having that said…" Jay trailed off. "There are a lot of ways to cheat the system. There are the Originals who can practically do anything. And then there are the Primordials, who can be considered the masters of their one thousand different trades. There are also those damn hackers who hijack the system with their mods. Sorcerers and Gods and… Faeries."

His face scowled at the mention of the Fair Folk just as fiercely as Predator Philips did towards her.

"I want to make a contract with you, Sona," the Ruler said after a moment. "You will still be going with me to the meeting in Kyoto in the next coming days. You are still going to be my personal assistant. And I will still be answering any questions you may have for me.

"For this contract… I will do everything I can to bring back your peerage. I cannot guarantee anything. I might only be able to save one of them. I have a lot of resources but they are all external. I will be relying on others which means it will be out of my hands. I am doing this… because I am responsible. Your peerage would have survived if I didn't underestimate the enemy.

"In exchange, I only want one thing from you. Something only you can do. I believe you may save this world by doing so.

"I want you to talk to Issei. You don't have to forgive him. You don't have to be nice to him. You don't even have to like him. I'm only asking you to talk to him and listen to anything he might have to say. Five minutes, ten, an hour— however long you want. That's all."

Sona breathed out. The tightness in her chest slowly lessened. The constriction over her heart became less painful. There was a chance her peerage could be saved. Perhaps all of them. Perhaps only one. But the chance was still there and she swore she would take it no matter what.

But… she hesitated. It felt like she was about to jump off a bridge. She knew there was water down below to soften the landing. But the distance in height made her stumble at the last step.

She would have to confront Issei. That was his price.

It was almost as if he knew it was the last thing she wanted to do. It was something extremely expensive to her personally. But more than that…

"Why Issei?" she questioned. "Is it because he is one of your Predators? Why must it always come back to him?"

"What he said," Jay responded by pointing a finger at Artemis.

"But not wise," Artemis let out something of a groan below his breath.

Because he was a good man, had been Predator Philips' assessment of Issei.

"I'm going to guess the conversation is over," Louise came back into the room with a few paper plates with sliced cake. She also managed to balance two full glasses of wine in her other hand. "And if it isn't, I'm making it so. Give the girl a break. Let's play a game. Junior, where do you keep your cards?"

"Where I always put them," Jay said as he accepted his glass and cake. "Bottom drawer in the desk."

Louise went around the table placing plates down. She gave Sona a little wink before fetching the stack of playing cards.

"…Junior?" Sona questioned. It had gotten her interest as soon as Louise called him that.

Jay shrugged, "Think about it. This is the second version of the same world. I am the Ruler who copied and pasted the one I came from. There are a lot of irregularities but only because of the alterations I made here and there."

"We didn't have Devils," said Artemis. Unlike before, he took his time eating.

"No we didn't. And the Ruler of that world was named Jay Arlington. It's not my real name."

"Then what is?" Sona asked.

He eyed her and said carefully, "Everyone has their secrets, Sona. Some things are better left not knowing."

0-0-0

"Um… Hello, nee-san," Issei greeted.

Akeno looked over her shoulder while mindlessly stirring the pot. She didn't have her usual smile for him. "Hello, Ise-kun. Lunch will be ready shortly. Although, knowing your usual appetite I didn't believe you would be joining us."

"Nee-san, are you also mad at me?"

She stopped stirring. She let out a silent sigh with her shoulders slouching slightly. She put down her utensil, set the flame at a low, and turned to face him.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I want to be upset for what you've done with those two. But I should be upset at Rias. You don't know why she's acting like this. Nor will she tell you. She's keeping it to herself and it's only making matters worse. What you did made the flames bigger, but you didn't do it out of spite."

"…I thought it was because I kept something from her."

Akeno let out a dry chortle. She leaned against the counter away from the stove to fully face him. Her hands fiddled around while she thought. "That's part of it. I agree with her that things could have been different if you told us. We could have used them. Maybe not. I also understand the reasons why you kept it from us. What upsets me isn't your refusal to use them; it's the fact you didn't trust me enough to talk."

Trust _me_ , she said. She had let it slip. She hadn't been talking about Rias or the rest of the peerage as a whole.

"Is it because of the people who died?" he asked next. "Sona's peerage? The students who were still there? Or because you were hurt?"

She didn't say anything for an agonizing long time. "Yes. No. Not entirely. Ise-kun, what happened there was because we were unprepared. We were overconfident of ourselves and we paid the price for it. Rias blames herself. She's the overseer of the city and was entrusted to protect it."

"But… that's not why she's so upset, is she?"

Akeno looked at him through saddened eyes. He was unfamiliar with the gaze coming from her. But, dare he say, it belonged on her. Or, rather, it was a look she was intimate with. It was almost as if she was always sad. She simply hid it well.

It was as if he was seeing the real Akeno for the first time.

"That's between you and her," she said eventually. "I'm sorry, Ise-kun. You deserve to know what's going on. But… all of us are under orders to keep silent."

Both worry and irritation sprang up to him in unison. He wanted to go to Rias. He wanted to talk to her, to plead with her to let him know what was wrong and how he could fix it. Yet an almost childish part of him was angry at her for being like this. He _did_ deserve the right to know if he had done something and it was wrong keeping it from him.

What a hypocrite he was. It was hardly a few days when he did just this to her.

"She'll come to you when she's ready," Akeno said sharply as if reading his thoughts. "Right now, give her some space to calm down. She still loves you very much."

He chose to lean against the counter beside her. They didn't say anything to another for some time, simply grossing in another's company.

"Koneko-chan's mad at me," he breathed out.

"I know," Akeno nodded. "She was the one who told us about your affair."

"…You make it sound like I cheated on Rias."

"I do recall her giving you the okay…" she dragged out. "But, honestly Ise-kun, the timing of it all couldn't have been any worse. No, it's not just that. It's the fact you slept with them instead of…"

"…Instead of…?" he blinked and looked at her.

Her face was somber before it slowly shifted to mild irritation.

"Sometimes you can be so dense," she muttered too low for normal hearing to perceive. He did, however. Then, she said clearly, "If you had approached Koneko or I, or even both, I don't think either one of us would have denied you. Making a girl say something like that… Shame on you, Ise-kun."

She turned away to return to the stove, stirring the pot before any of the contents could burn.

He was left dumbfounded. "I-Is that… Eh… N-Nee-san… A, um, c-confession?"

More irritation surfaced as well as a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks. "I had hoped it to be a little more romantic. Something special to the man I fell for… But this is probably the only time I'll ever get. What with you having _others_ before your nee-san."

A sharp pain went through his heart from the sheer bitterness of her words.

"Then… you really are mad at me…"

"…I can't be mad at you, Ise-kun. Believe me, I've tried. But I am still upset with you."

She wasn't mad… but she was still upset.

He didn't get women at all.

"Kiba wanted to talk to you," she said next while adding a few vegetables to the pot. "Do you need me to tell you where he is?"

He shook his head. The World was telling him the damn handsome was in the bottom floor, the training facility.

"Oh yeah… about the house…" he began while he looked around.

They did their best to keep things familiar. It was just like the kitchen of his old house with the way everything was arranged. It was his kitchen… only bigger. They kept the old decorations and knickknacks that belonged to his mother. They knew they couldn't throw those out.

"It was supposed to be a surprise for you when you returned home," Akeno explained. "Rias wanted to do this for you. The excuse was something about you being a Demon Lord and needing to prove your status… but I think she just wanted to spoil you. We made sure to keep things as familiar as possible. We didn't touch any of your parent's things."

"…It's nice," he chose to say. "A bit overwhelming. Kinda big. Like I need a tram to get from my room to the bathroom. But nice. I'll be sure to thank her when I can."

Honestly, he was perfectly fine with his old home. He was a little sad to see it go. But a part of him was also relieved. With this new place would come new memories. It felt like he was trapped in his old place, constantly living in the past. It felt like he could breathe in here.

He wondered about the neighbors, though. The house was freakishly huge that consumed most of the living spaces within his block. Did Rias summon this mansion from the Underworld and let it loose to feed on the other homes?

"You do that," Akeno said to him softly. "Now, go on. I need to finish this. Will you be joining us?"

"…That depends on Kiba," he said.

Akeno looked at him and gave a slow nod, "I suppose it would."

0-0-0

The training facility was at the absolute bottom of the mansion several stories underground. It technically took up three stories by itself by the sheer volume. Rias had taken into consideration the magnitude of his presence and built it appropriately.

The walls had been reinforced with some sort of obsidian metallic glass, and then those were doubled over with traces of magic running through them. He would have to use his Balance Breaker in order to make a dent within them. And he'd have to use his Juggernaut Drive if he wanted to tear through them.

He wasn't sure how they would stand against his peers, however. He wondered if Amelia would be able to do anything against them. Probably make them rot.

There were several sections of the training room that was separated with yellow paint on the floors. Some housed weapons with practice dummies, others held books behind reinforced shelves, typical gym and workout equipment, four courts placed in a rectangle for different sports, and a wide open area that took the majority of the room.

Really, it felt more like an amusement park rather than a training facility. The place was bigger than the house above!

He saw Irina and Xenovia occupying the weapon's section. They were having a light spar with each other in their Exorcist leotards, switching weapons on occasion and giving the other advice. Asia was there with them, nervously watching and ready to jump as soon as one of them got hurt.

His eyes lingered on Asia for a long moment. She seemed okay right now. But he noticed the bags under her eyes. She tried to hide it with some makeup.

They spotted him. They waved.

He waved back and gestured towards the back of the room, where he will be.

They nodded and went back to their practice.

He underestimated the stamina of the former Exorcists. He thought they would still be out of commotion considering what happened last night. Maybe not in bed still but too tired to do anything else. And here they were going at it.

He went to the opposite end of the training room. It probably would have been faster if he flew there, instantly if he used his Gift of Flight or even significantly faster than walking if he used his Devil wings. But, he chose to walk, taking his time to prepare himself.

Yuuto had a practice sword in his hands, going through various motions with Excalibur instructing him. Her dress looked less bright than the last time he saw her and it wasn't an effect of the lighting. She looked less radiant, less peppy, and a little melancholy.

Tired. She looked tired.

At the moment, for reasons Issei couldn't comprehend, Yuuto wasn't a Predator. The World was telling Issei he wasn't anything more dangerous than how he had been as a regular Devil. The potential was there to do harm but only by the influence of Excalibur.

It also meant Yuuto didn't have the curse of the constant awareness. He didn't know when Issei had arrived nor when he was being observed.

Issei couldn't have been wrong when he saw Yuuto the other day. The World had told him Kiba Yuuto was another Predator. Yuuto never denied it. Everyone else acknowledged it, especially Ajuka Beelzebub, one of the remaining Candidates.

Yuuto stopped when Excalibur noticed his presence. The little girl had sharp instincts, most likely honed throughout the centuries in the hands of the original King Arthur as well as when she was split into other lesser swords. Her physical form was nothing more than a masque.

Yuuto moved towards the duffle bag a few meters away from him. From within he pulled out a towel to wipe away his sweat and a plastic container. He opened the container first, took out a pink pill, and swallowed it in one go.

…Issei recognized the pill. It had been something he asked Richard to make a very long time ago.

The pill took effect almost immediately. While Yuuto wiped his face, his body began to change. His body was still lean and full of useful muscle. Curves began to take shape. Distracting curves. Curves so ridiculous they began to stretch and lift the white shirt, threatening to tear through the fabric.

When the towel was removed, it was no longer the handsome Yuuto's face.

…It was the gorgeous _Yumi._

A storm of emotions clashed within Issei. Fear, enticement, confusion, excitement, dread, delight, disgust, and… arousal.

Those breasts… no man should ever have a great pair of tits like that. It was an abomination to have them so perky. Look! He could see the nipples poke through the thin fabric. The size alone was ridiculous! They were almost as good as Rias'!

 _~Zoom, Zoom—~_

"NO!" Issei shouted. "There is a line! He's a dude! A _dude_! I don't care what he looks like or how great his breasts might be! He's still a man!"

"Technically I'm all woman right now, Issei-kun," Yuuto, or Yumi, or whoever/whatever the fuck he/she was gave him a smile. "You should know the full effects of these pills. I don't fully understand what a Sorcery is— Royals-san described it differently than what we're familiar with. But his Sorcery has the World believing I'm a girl. And so I am."

"Where did you find those?!" Issei shouted again. "I've been looking _everywhere_ for them! I thought I lost them or accidentally threw them away."

"In the medicine cabinet," Yumi explained nonchalantly. "Probably the last place you'll ever look considering you can't get sick. It happened after the Vampire. Buchou asked me to find anything that may keep your fever down. "

It _was_ the last place he'd look. Not because of what he… she… ugh this was getting complicated— Not because of what she said about him never being sick. But because he repeatedly told himself 'there's no way I'd hide them somewhere so obvious'.

And look. There they were.

Yuuto had found them. Sampled them after reading Richard's scribble notes within. Became Yumi for a bit. And then nurtured (tortured) Issei when she dressed up as a nurse while he was still in bed.

…The sponge bath… Issei can never wash away his shame no matter how many times he scrubbed.

"Why… Why do you have those?" Issei groaned. His head was starting to hurt.

"I thought it would be easier to talk to you like this," Yumi explained with another smile. She put her hand to her chest, blinked as she realized her hand stopped on the top of her breasts instead, and smiled in both pride and delight at her figure. "You like them, don't you, Issei-kun? Breasts? I always see you catching glimpses at Buchou and Akeno."

"Yes, I do," Issei nodded. "I love breasts very much. I fantasize about them every waking second. But this and that are completely different! You're a man! A bro! If you wanted to talk, then talk. I'm completely weirded out by this."

"You don't think I'm pretty, Issei-kun?" Yumi put up a pouty face that stirred a new wave of emotions for Issei.

"I think you're hot and that's exactly the problem! You're messing with forces not meant to be messed with!"

Yumi's lips curved upwards slightly. She exchanged a look with Excalibur, who met her gaze with a few tired blinks. The little girl nodded and went to stand by her _father's_ side.

The back of his mind told him Yumi was up to something. But he couldn't tell what. The World was telling him it wasn't important enough to warrant his attention. And his draconian senses were only telling him about Yumi's antagonistic intent. Combined together, they were no more a threat than a childish prank.

Still, he kept his eyes focused on the two of them. Nothing in his instincts was telling him otherwise but something else put him on edge when they were together. He couldn't give it a name. Maybe intuition. It was rather baseless though.

"I want to talk about those Predator Pieces," Yumi said straightforward.

Issei's eyes narrowed, "There's nothing to talk about."

"I have to argue against that, Issei-kun."

"There's _nothing_ to talk about," Issei growled. "It's better off if no one else has them. No one should have to listen to _that_ all the time. You heard it, didn't you? The beast at the end of all things. I thought you of all people would understand."

For a moment, Yumi's fortitude wilted. Cold fear swept through her at the recollection of the World's screams of the impending doom. She licked her lips and swallowed her emotions.

"I know," she said steadily. "You don't seem to get it. It's because I've heard what it sounds like do I have to argue against you."

She took a few steps forward. Her slender legs were elegant. Her legs were enticing and Issei couldn't help but glance down at them. He couldn't help but notice the way her hips swayed with each step. Or the… smell of her from a workout. It didn't smell like a man. It reminded him of Rias, Asia, and, most recently, Xenovia and Irina.

He had to shake his head. Feelings he didn't want for this genderbent _thing_ were messing with his mind. He reeled back to think clearly.

"And you want Rias and the others to hear it?" Issei argued. "To never have a moment of rest? To constantly be aware of every little detail around them? It might sound great. But, Kiba, I haven't slept since I became a Predator."

"I know, Issei," her voice was… sultry. Soothing. It was a soft whisper so low he had to focus harder to hear. And the ringing in her voice… it made him _want_ to listen to her voice more. "You've reminded us a few times. I've been there myself. I know what it's like. And, it's because I know do I have to make you listen to reason."

She was close. Too close to him. Just half a step away.

Warnings rang through Issei. Minor things. Yumi was going to do something that would harm her more than hurt him. He wouldn't even feel it. A slap, maybe. A part of Issei was irritated and wanted to stand there, take it, and let Yumi know it was pointless.

…But it was the more rational part of him that probably kept his head.

Yumi moved, her arm being a blur. The World kept telling Issei there was nothing to worry about.

Then, halfway in the swing, the World was screaming at him to move.

It was from his act of move prior that had him reacting in time. He had raised a hand to catch her wrist. It ended up becoming a parry as he slapped away the blade that burnt his skin.

Excalibur was in her hands. The golden blade gave a dull glow as she assumed positions.

Issei's hand throbbed where the blade had cut into him. The Faerie steel had been able to get through his draconian resistance while the divine blessings felt like acid against his Devil body. Together, they sent needles of pain through his arm with just a small nick. His regeneration was having difficulty stopping the bleeding.

All of a sudden, Yumi was no longer just a regular Devil. Right now, she was a Predator. The World was acknowledging her presence as an Ultimate Killer.

Her eyes were wide and crazed, intoxicated with the information the World was providing to her. It was telling her how to harm Issei, what to expect from him, where to best strike, how Issei would respond, how to defend, and any hazards or hindrances around them.

All the same, Issei could feel the same thing. A plethora of information was bombarding Issei's senses. This could only happen when two Predators were against another. He had felt this when he confronted Rolan for the first time. And this had happened in the final battle against the Vampire.

"I hear it," Yumi said.

She dove at him, Excalibur streaking through the air in a golden arch.

Issei dodged, kicking off his heels to the side. He knew where to move. But so did Yumi. She had been anticipating it and treated her first strike as a feint. She was already recovering and trying to adjust.

Issei, however, also knew what she was attempting.

He manifested one gauntlet and caught her blade. The metal cut through his Sacred Gear and burned fiercely. He gritted his teeth and held his ground, refusing to budge.

Again, Yumi knew this was going to happen prior to her first strike. The World was telling her everything.

She had another Excalibur at the ready and bringing it into an upwards swipe.

It went on like this for a few seconds. They moved around the other, easily anticipating each other's techniques and strategies. It wasn't a game of skill or overwhelming power. Not when the World was giving them the exact same information to read each other's moves.

Still, neither of them were going all out. Neither one of them were using the abilities that made them into Predators. Issei refused to access his Balance Breaker just as Yumi wasn't. They were using their lowest aptitude against another.

"Did you know I never really liked you?" Yumi spat. The venom in her voice was real.

"As if you were someone I looked up to," Issei spat back. "You have every girl in Kuoh falling over you and you don't even look their way. Why? Because you were too consumed with revenge."

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" she roared and went for another series of strikes, only to have to block when Issei retaliated with his fist. "You're so blind you can't see what's happening around you. Do you have any idea _why_ everyone's so upset with you? Do you know why Koneko hates you so much right now?"

"I know…" he growled out. "Don't you dare blame me for it. Look at me! I'm a nobody! I was always a nobody! No girl ever looked my way! They were always looking at _you_!"

Sparks lit up as a white wave from Excalibur clashed against a crimson blast from the Boosted Gear.

They now had the attention of the girls on the other side.

"How was I supposed to know she had feelings for me?!" Issei roared out. "I barely heard about this not ten minutes ago! I'm still trying to get over the fact I _actually have_ a girlfriend!"

"Not everything is about you!" Yumi snapped. "Everything has been about you from the very beginning. Issei, I'm sorry your parents are dead. I'm sorry Nakashima-san was killed. But the Vampire is dead. It's all in the past! _Move on_!"

"Says the guy who went AWOL when Amy first arrived!" Issei charged forward and went to tackle Yumi. She sidestepped him; he spun with his momentum to sweep her legs while she was still landing. She tucked her legs in at the last instant and rolled out of the way.

"Don't talk to me about the past when it drove you mad just the same! I heard about the Holy Sword Project. I heard what happened to you and your friends. So don't you dare tell me to move on when you haven't!"

"You're not listening!" Yumi screeched and sent another white wave at him. "We live in the present! You and I! Everyone you _think_ you care about! Akeno, Koneko, Asia, Rias, _everyone_! They're here for you and yet you keep dragging us into your misery!"

"I've been doing everything I can to keep them safe!" Issei bellowed.

"That's not the point! That's not your job! We can take care of ourselves! We don't need you to constantly try to save us!"

"You almost died the other day!"

"We survived without you! Why won't you see that? Why can't you see how hard we've been training? Why can't you see how hard we've been struggling _for you_?!

"It's always been about you and I'm sick of it!"

She swung Excalibur down like a hammer. An eruption of white light consumed them both as Excalibur's holy radiance swept through the area.

Issei put up a guard and planted his feet into the ground. He let the white light strike at him and refused to let it budge. It peeled against his skin like facing the brunt of a flamethrower. Cooked meat hit his nostrils.

But this pain was nothing. It hardly felt anything compared to anything his enemies had thrown at him.

He roared, letting out his draconian aura in a full sweep. It blew away the energies of Excalibur and slammed against Yumi. She had no means of avoiding it. Her body flew back, bounced once against the floor, and she rolled until she could land on her knees.

Issei was breathing hard through anger and pain. Yumi was panting from the sheer excursion.

"You act like this is all my fault," Issei snarled. "I wanted nothing to do with this."

"Save it," she sneered and got up to her feet. "This is your fault. Don't say otherwise. If you _really_ wanted to protect us, Issei, you would have left. Become a Stray. You're a Predator. Who the hell can go after you? You could have left and we would have all been safe.

"But no, you didn't. You're selfish. You _want_ to stay near us. You can't bear to think about leaving us. So you hoard us all into a bundle to keep to yourself. You've never thought about protecting us. You only want to stop others from getting what you think is yours. How very much like a Dragon.

"Yet when we offer to help, you refuse. You throw it in our face. You refuse to trust us with your burdens. You don't let us come near you. You mope around when something bad happens to one of us. We're not your damn hatchlings, Issei. We're supposed to be your friends!

"Why won't you let us help you?!"

She lifted Excalibur. The grip along the hilt tightened. Her demonic energy coursed through it, converting into holy radiance, and letting Excalibur's glow brighten.

"I don't want it," Issei said with a hard voice. "I don't want anybody to go through what I have to. You should understand. If you're really a Predator then you should know—"

"YOU'RE STILL NOT LISTENING!"

She roared and came at him. Her speed as a Knight made her zip through the distance in a blink. She brought Excalibur around for a lethal strike at his chest.

He swatted it aside. A burst of white energy blasted against his gauntlet at the collision. It blew away fragments of his armor.

"This. Isn't. About. _You_!" Yumi screamed, bringing Excalibur around with every word. Every time, another concussion of holy radiance struck Issei. He struggled to keep his armor intact.

"Have you _ever_ asked what Rias wants? How about Asia? Aren't they supposed to be your girlfriends? Do you know their hopes and dreams? Do you know what they like? Do you know _anything_ about them?!

"Do you know why Akeno smiles? Or why Koneko is reclusive? Have you ever bothered to hold a conversation with any of them? Have you ever gone longer than five seconds without staring at either of their breasts?!

"Reality check, Issei, we are not doing this just for you! You may have opened our eyes with your existence as a Predator but you are not the center of our universe! We know there are bigger fish out there! We realize this! Do you think we'd just stay in school with our heads down and pretend they didn't exist?!

"You're not protecting us, Issei. You've been hindering us from the very beginning."

"Which is it?!" Issei bore his fangs. "Do you want to help me?! Do you want me to leave?! Do you want me to _give_ you the Predator Pieces?! What you keep saying is all over the place!"

Yumi stopped her assaults. Excalibur's edge was burning brightly in her grip. Her steel-gray eyes were cold enough to pierce through Issei's emerald.

"You still can't figure it out, can you?" she sighed with disappointment and fury.

She slammed the tip of Excalibur into the ground, stepped around it, and approached Issei. He didn't move as she gripped his shirt and pulled him close. He didn't fight it. They stared at another, close enough to feel each other's breath. They both challenged the other to look away first.

"I do not want your protection," she said slowly and clearly as if instructing a child. "I do not want to be in your care. I am my own person. I can stand on my own. What I want, Issei, is a little respect. I want you to stop looking at us as if we're so helpless. I want you to _trust us._

"So help me, Issei, if you ever do anything to hurt Rias again, I will take her away from you. I will drag her even against her will and fight you with everything I have. I swear it as her Knight."

A low growl rose from Issei.

It was the only thing he could do.

He didn't need the World to tell him how things would play out. Yumi would do it. It shone in her eyes. She wasn't going to bend in the slightest over it. She really would take Rias away. And if Issei tried to go after them…

One of them would wind up dead.

That wasn't the only thing that made Issei relent. It wasn't the fact such a threat would result in blood, in the loss of a vital fighting force, and in the grief of the woman they both cared about.

What really convinced Issei was hearing everything Yumi had to share. She spoke from the heart. These were all her feelings that she had pent up. She had kept silent the entire time, couldn't stand it any longer, and let everything out for Issei to bear.

"I… feel much better," Yumi let out a long sigh, released Issei, and stepped away. Excalibur was present in her human form to hand her another towel. Yumi wiped her brow with it. "It feels so good to let out some stress."

"You really didn't need to take the pill just to do this," Issei grumbled as his powers began to recede back into his core.

"It got you to lower your guard," Yumi commented. "Issei-kun, you have such a soft spot for women. You were always this spirit of vengeance both in the training camp and in the shooting for your show. I wouldn't have been able to talk to you if I didn't have these."

Issei did his best to not let the blood pour out of his nose. Yumi grabbed ahold of her knockers and began to play with them. She pulled and shifted them around as though they were a pair of water balloons. When she let go, they giggled until resting still at her chest.

"Is everything okay?" Xenovia asked when the group of three approached. "It sounded like you were fighting."

"Kiba," Asia's eyes watered as she looked at the Knight, "please don't be mad at Ise too! I'll be sad if you're mad at him! What should I do?"

Yumi offered her a gentle smile, "It's only a little argument, Asia-chan. Nothing you need to be worried about. I think Issei-kun and I came to an understanding. Isn't that right?"

With her smile, she glared at him.

"…As clear as can be," Issei was the one to look away while scratching his cheek.

"Then, everything's okay?" asked Irina. "You're both still friends?"

"You have nothing to worry about, Shidou-san," Yumi chose to say with her charming smile.

Her response had put everyone at ease.

…But Issei had caught the wording. Yumi didn't consider them friends. She never did. She had opened up the argument with her stating she never liked him.

For everything he didn't like about the Knight… Issei had always believed they were friends.

Apparently that was never the case.

"We still have some things we need to catch up on, though," Yumi lifted a hand at them. "Would you mind leaving us alone for a bit? I think lunch is about ready anyways. We'll be up shortly."

"Don't take too long," Irina said. "Ise-kun, you need to eat lunch. No ditching again! Skipping meals isn't healthy for you."

"Skipping meals is very bad," Xenovia agreed with a few wise nods. "It hinders the regaining of your stamina and vital nutrients. It would become a problem if your sperm count is low because of this."

If he wasn't standing perfectly still he would have tripped over and land flat on his face.

"X-Xenovia!" Irina blushed. "That's not the point!"

"…It wasn't?"

"Um… I-Ise…" Asia walked up to him and grabbed the hem of his shirt. She looked up at him with her large doe eyes that made him want to hold her close. "W-Will you… T-That is… T-T-T-Tonight? Can I s-stay with you tonight? It's been a while. Ise isn't bored of me… is he?"

It felt like a bolt of lightning from God Himself had torn through the several floors above to strike at Issei's cranium. Bored of Asia?! What sort of damnation?!

"NEVER!" he screamed to the high heavens to deny this most unholy blasphemy. "I LOVE ASIA! Of course you can stay with me tonight!"

Her smile filled him with such love. Time froze just so he could stare at her smile and bask in its brilliance. He would never forget her smile. He would cherish it until the end of time.

They left with their equipment in tow. He watched them go. The three of them were talking amongst their selves and he didn't put effort into prying into their conversation. Though he managed to catch a few words without meaning to.

The three of them were close friends. Asia could use some friends. And Irina and Xenovia deserved to be a part of their group. He was happy for them.

"So, you don't like me?" Issei opened up with when they were alone.

"Never have," Yumi said without shame or even dropping her smile. "I think you're gross. You have no respect for women with how you constantly peeped on them. Maybe if you worked on your social skills instead of stealth you would have acquired a girlfriend much earlier."

"Says the best looking guy at school," he argued. "If I did manage to get a girlfriend she'd have dumped me as soon as you walked by us."

She let out a small laugh that sounded like bells. "Is that how it looks to you? I suppose to someone who wants a harem it is a dream come true. But I'm not interested in a relationship. The girls adore me but never try to get to know me. Any who try is usually shot down by my fanatics. And the boys spurn me out of jealousy. I don't believe I've ever had a friend since becoming a Devil."

"…I don't feel sorry for you."

"I don't either," she remarked with a bitter smile. "I think we would have been much happier if our roles were reversed."

"You mean where you watch your parents murdered in front of you with some sicko carving out their faces and wearing them like masks?"

"At least you got to know your parents. I was an orphan taken in by the Church and experimented on. I wasn't a person, Issei-kun. I was a lab rat to be disposed of when my usefulness ran out. And it did."

Issei sighed to take a moment for himself. There was no point in this argument. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"You kept something hidden from us," Yumi said almost immediately. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. "I don't just mean the Predator Pieces. The Evensong. Trihexa. Adams McCain. These are all terms I should know. Not just as a Predator but as a person living on this planet. If the world is coming to an end then I think I deserve to know why.

"Tell me everything you know. Everything."

0-0-0

"Oh, you're finally here," Akeno greeted Yuuto when he entered the dining area. "Lunch is practically over. I can still get you something if you like."

"Please," Yuuto gave her an apologetic smile. "We're famished. I'm sorry for not arriving on time."

The table was full of the Occult Research Club but most of the girls had finished their meals. Only a few of them (Koneko) were still going.

"Is… Ise not joining us?" Rias asked with concern, curiosity, and nervousness. She eyed the door Yuuto had come through.

"Not unless he managed to come back from the Pacific Ocean in under an hour," Yuuto replied to her with a unique, almost Cheshire, smile. He pulled out his seat for Excalibur, who silently accepted it, and slammed her head flat on the table as soon as she was pushed in. The poor girl was exhausted. He shouldn't have used her default form while she was still recovering.

He pulled out a chair beside her, conveniently to his King's left, and took his seat in a relaxed fashion.

"He's skipping another meal?!" Irina gasped. "Have any of you seen him eat at all these past few days? He hasn't been to any breakfast, lunch, or dinner I've been to."

"Ise is a Dragon," Rias explained with a cheek resting against her knuckles. "He runs on a completely different metabolism than any of us. He doesn't require food the same way we do."

"But when he's hungry…" Koneko raised her head from her plate. "He eats."

Several heads nodded in unison. There was a reason why there were two fridges in the kitchen. The first was a large model found in professional kitchens. That was for the girls to use. The other was an entire room to walk through. There were even shopping carts tucked in the corner to carry large produce in mass quantities.

Irina glowered with disbelief but chose to not say anything. To her, Issei didn't look any different than she did. But, she pondered, so too did the Devils. They were far more durable than any human could without certain augmentations.

"What exactly is Ise doing in the Pacific Ocean?" Rias asked.

"Retrieving his discarded Predator Pieces," Yuuto answered with chipper attitude.

Everyone stared at him, expecting him to explain further. He said nothing, keeping his smile, completely unfazed with their staring, and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Is there something you want to fill us in on?" Rias asked with a raised brow.

"Oh, Issei-kun and I had a long talk," he began after taking a few sips. He didn't supply anything else until Akeno returned from the kitchen with a tray of food. Some stew, a bowl of rice, some fruit sandwiches.

"We talked about the responsibilities of being a Predator," he went on as soon as Akeno took her seat at Rias' right. "I wasn't very clear on them. So I asked him. He told me what he knew and his speculations."

"And he's not here because…?" Rias drawled out.

"It's something of a deal we made," he said after making them wait longer. He _was_ hungry. He had to take a few bites before he could continue. "He doesn't believe we can handle the pressure. So I told him I would accept one of his Predator Pieces and give him my assessment once the transfer was complete. I would still be your Knight, Buchou. I don't think they interfere with the Knight Piece within me.

"I've gone through what he has. I understand where he's coming from but I don't agree with his decisions. If I can prove to him he's not entirely right then he won't have a base to keep his argument. He'd have no choice but to accept my logic."

The only sound being made was the clattering of utensils used by Yuuto. He ate away while everyone spared glances at another.

"Thank you, Kiba," Rias said with a distant voice. "But I think it's too late for that."

Yuuto chewed as he looked at her. He leaned back in his chair, placed his spoon down, and wiped his lips with a napkin. Even after he finished did he stare at her in silence.

"What happened… can't be undone," he said after a long while. "And I don't think Issei-kun knows what he's done either. I didn't tell him. You should, Buchou."

Rias looked away with her hands resting on her lap. Her arms moved gradually until they wrapped around her waist.

"Um…" Asia' voice was as quiet as a mouse. "Are you and Ise fighting? Did something happen?"

No one had told Asia about what happened. She, Irina, and Xenovia were the only ones not aware. They weren't in the room when Richard Royals diagnosed Rias. No one had told them.

"We're not fighting," Rias said, though she couldn't look at Asia in the eyes. "It's… complicated, Asia."

Nobody said anything else. The room was full of mixed feelings that none were willing to share. They kept quiet.

"Oh…" Asia said. Bless her heart, she didn't think anything was amiss. "I hope everything's okay. Ah, Rias, I'm going to be with Ise tonight! Why don't you join us? I think he would like that. I don't mind sharing him with you…"

A healthy and adorable shade of pink sprouted on her cheeks.

But Rias' face turned ashen white. She shook her head and forced a smile, "No, that's okay. I wouldn't want to ruin your alone time with him."

It was then Asia noticed something was wrong. After all, Rias fought with her all the time over his affections. They had a sort of innocent rivalry over who could get more of his attention. If Rias was willing to step aside in Asia's favor… then surely something was wrong.

"O-Okay…" Asia said, unsure of herself. Her voice cracked and she looked at Rias with pleading eyes. She wanted the King to open up and tell her what was wrong but wasn't willing to pry.

Rias never looked her way.

To break the tension, while creating a new set of its own, the doorbell rang.

Yuuto was out of his seat immediately. Nobody moved as everyone stiffened, still on edge due to recent events. He took command, putting up a hand to keep everyone in their seats while he headed towards the door.

Excalibur let out a groan of complaint while she latched on to his wrist. She let him drag her across the floor as he entered the hallway.

Akeno was at his side. Her smile was gone as she prepared her mystic defenses. He could physically feel the demonic energy flow through her body, ready to be unleashed at the first thing that presented itself as a threat.

They nodded to each other. Yuuto picked up Excalibur and let her rest at his hip like the little girl that she was. If needed, he would have her turn into a sword.

Akeno stepped forward with a magic circle at the ready in her palm, hidden behind the door as she opened it.

…There were two things wrong with this picture. The one who had rang the doorbell had been a man in a brown uniform. He wore a brown cap, a brown shirt with a company logo on the right chest, and brown shorts. Yuuto recognized it as the infamous public uniform worn by the couriers to the American Union Postal Service.

The second thing wrong with him was his appearance. He had flowing white hair that couldn't really be hair. It looked more like strands of silver thread. His face was blank; nothing like Serene's constant expression of tranquility but _blank._ No emotion. No life. He was as dead as a statue. And his eyes held no color. They were as clear as glass and Yuuto had no problem being able to see the interior of the organs.

"Hello," the man said as soon as those lifeless eyes looked at Akeno.

"Oh," Excalibur seemed to snap out of her daze. "Papa, it's okay. I—" she yawned, "I know this man. He's okay…"

And then she fell asleep in his arms without any further explanation.

"Hello, Excalibur," the man nodded once. His eyes then flicked towards Yuuto's and then at Akeno. "Hello, Siege Perilous Yuuto Kiba. Hello, Akeno Himejima. I, am the Warden. I, am here on business. I, wish an audience with, Rias Gremory."

He also spoke strangely. It was as if he was taking out clips of prerecorded text and inserting them where it was needed. Not necessarily like an automatic machine. But in the unique way a human would when they suddenly forgot something and suddenly recalled what it was on the spot.

"Who are you _exactly_?" Akeno questioned. She didn't lower her guard to this person.

"I, am the Warden, of the Well," he said in the same tone he had before. His expression never changed.

The Warden of the Well.

The Well was the ultimate prison currently being controlled by the Observatory of the Acolyte Faction. It was a pit of pure darkness where legend says the laws of nature do not apply. Things do not die. Magic does not work. Time does not exist. Reality is a completely different concept. Anyone and anything shoved into the Well is forced into an endless loop of limbo.

Supposedly, it was once the prison Heaven had made before the Great War to seal away the Grigori.

This man was its keeper. He was the only one capable of navigating through it, able to fight off against any of the things kept within, and is rumored to wander the world in search of new things warranting to be restrained.

"What business do you have with my master?" Yuuto stepped forward.

The Warden turned his gaze to him and answered without hesitation, "I, am to deliver, a bounty, for, the elimination of, six, Accusers, by decree of, the Council of Head Orders, and, the Inquisition ordained by Inquisitor Melodic, of the Observatory."

"…You're talking about the brothers of the Vampire…" Akeno sighed.

The Warden nodded once.

"You'll have to forgive us if we ask you something," Yuuto said. "We're not very trusting of new company because of the incident. How do we know you won't harm my master?"

The Warden did not move. It wasn't something a human could achieve. He did not blink, did not breathe, did not sway where he stood or make any such reaction that would indicate he was thinking. He went completely still in the way only corpses could.

"I, will not, attack, one, of my own, Predator Kiba," the Warden said suddenly. "I, am a, Zero Predator."

…A… what? A Zero Predator? What in the world was that?

"Swear it," Yuuto demanded, pushing the information for another time. "So far everyone from the Acolyte faction has been our enemy. From the Vampire, his brothers, and Rolan. I see no reason to trust you, let alone let you in this house."

"I swear," the Warden said without hesitation. And without pause, as if it was one of the preordained responses he had set up long in advance and used repeatedly. "I, am to deliver, a package. Nothing more."

He tapped a finger on the insignia at his chest. He was on duty for his daytime job, apparently.

It wasn't the words that made Yuuto step back. It was a sense of comradery even when he had never met this man before.

"The World," said the Warden, answering Yuuto's unasked question. "You, are not, linked. But, the World, knows of you. It, guides us."

He wanted to argue. He wanted to find a fault in this. His mind came up with several counters to this accusation. But all of them were shot down. They all just seemed to fade to the back of his mind until they were forgotten.

He had a sense of loyalty towards his King suddenly. A strong throbbing to fulfill her every desire and to serve her to the best of his abilities. The World, he could not deny, was force-feeding him this. It was telling him this man was going to be a great asset and would regret not allowing him an audience with his King.

Even when he wasn't recognized as a Predator at the moment did the World continue to speak to him. He didn't realize how deep it went or how complex it really was until now.

They led him through the hallways and into the main dining room, where Rias and the others had been waiting on bated breath for their return. Their eyes snapped immediately towards the Warden who had followed them.

"Buchou," Yuuto stepped forward and turned on his heels. He gestured a hand towards the man, "This is the Warden of the Well. He's come here to deliver a bounty for the elimination of wanted criminals of the Observatory. _Nothing more._ "

He said the last part to the Warden, who did not react in any way to indicate he had noticed.

Rias frowned, glanced at her servants, but stood. She assumed her role as the King and spoke with the charisma and authority required for her station. "Good afternoon, Warden. You will have to excuse our unpreparedness to properly greet you. We were not aware of your arrival and you caught us in the midst of our lunch. Is there anything I can get for you?"

The Warden shook his head once and produced, out of seemingly nowhere, a rolled scroll sealed in wax and a bright red ribbon. He presented it to Akeno, the Queen, with the intention of delivering it to her King.

"Rias Gremory," he spoke in his dead tone that, somehow, presented itself with matching authority equal to hers. "The Observatory, has recognized, your valor, in, eliminating, six, Accusers. The Observatory, has rewarded you, the bounty, of each head, plus, gratuity. Within, contains, the list of, deeds and grants, and treasures, the Observatory, shall be delivering, at the earliest convenience."

Rias accepted the scroll and asked the Warden with her eyes if she could examine it. He nodded once. She removed the ribbon and undid the seal. Her eyes didn't shine with excitement. She was only following protocol and paying her respects.

Her expression didn't change when she read the contents of the scroll.

"Thank you, Warden. I gladly accept the bounty. But I cannot accept the gratuity. I was only acting my part as overseer and King. I was merely protecting my territory and my servants. And let it be known Sona Sitri deserves a part of the reward. She and her servants had a part to play."

"Noted," the Warden said blandly. "But gratuity, is, gratuity. What you do, with it, is your decision. Second, I have, something for you."

He reached into his pants pocket and produced a key.

Rias' eyes widened. The key was something old fashioned but made within the past few years. It belonged in the old world but was as pristine as the silver keys they used to enter this house. She recognized it for what it was.

"Why do you have that?" she asked in a low whisper.

"I, am the Warden," he said matter-of-factly. He turned, handed the key to Akeno, and turned back towards Rias. "Third, would you happen, to know if, I may find, the location of, Ludwig von Siegfried? He, requires my, personal bounty, for the elimination of, one, of my prisoners."

Rias accepted the key and stared at it. She didn't hear the Warden's inquiry.

"There is that name again," Yuuto spoke up. "Who was he? Archmage Royals says he was once a Predator. Do you know anything about him?"

The Warden turned and addressed Yuuto, "Ludwig von Siegfried, was, Second Predator, the Dragon Slayer. He, was claimed by, the Abyss, due to, his use of, [BALMUNG]. He, was last seen, fighting alongside, you, and, Issei Hyoudou, against, Candidate Manuel. Ludwig von Siegfried, no longer, exists."

Yuuto stood still as he soaked in this information. It didn't fill in all the gaps in his memory but it did enough to satisfy him. There _was_ another Predator. And now he at least had a name for the final brother nobody could remember.

The Warden leaned in, surprising Yuuto and almost making him jump back. The soulless eyes of the man bore into his as he said clear and loud enough to not be mistaken for anything else. They were also the only words he said with emotion. Urgency. Importance. Terror.

"Adams McCain walks amongst us once more."

There had been no pause in his words. No chance for him to correct himself. He had spoken it as clearly as possible.

"Fourth," the Warden stood up straight and returned to Rias. "I, have a package for, Issei Hyoudou. Will you sign for, him?"

From nowhere he pulled out a small box in Red Blur birthday wrapping and a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard.

…Suddenly the uniform he wore made sense.

"Um… sure?" Rias blinked a few times, took the clipboard, and signed for it. She placed the pen back into the holster and handed it back to the Warden, trading it for the box.

"Do not open it," he instructed while checking the signature. The clipboard vanished when everything was clear.

"Archibald Lolifor?" Rias questioned as she read the return address on the box. "That name sounds familiar. Isn't that the director of the American Union Postal Service?"

"First Predator," the Warden responded.

The box almost fell out of her hands.

"That, is all," he announced and gave a very Eastern bow. "Good day, Rias Gremory. I, will excuse myself."

"Wait," Yuuto called out before the man could leave. "What did you mean when you said you were a Zero Predator?"

The Warden turned his head and answered, "I, chose, to not be, a Predator. I, know how, the World, and the Ruler, work. The title of Zero, means, I am one of you, but do not, have direct access to, the World's support. You, Yuuto Kiba, are a Zero Predator, until, you fuse with, Excalibur."

"I didn't know people like you existed," he said slowly. "Then, will you help us? Will you help us fight? The beast at the end is starting to wake up."

"I, Kringle, and Cottontail, will be there," the Warden said with a single nod. He clicked on his heels, turned, and walked out of the room. Akeno was right on his heels to escort him.

"…Did he just say Santa and the Easter Bunny are going to fight?" Koneko asked about the elephant in the room.

"And Tannfeen…" mumbled Excalibur in her sleep as she nuzzled her face deeper into Yuuto's chest.

"…The Tooth Fairy too?" Koneko's eyes narrowed with extreme disbelief.

Rias paid them little to no mind. Her attention was locked elsewhere. In one hand was the small box sent by the First Predator. In the other was the key that could unlock the seal to her other Bishop.

Why did the Warden give it to her? Did her brother decide she was capable enough to handle her Bishop? Or had it been because of his personal evaluation for defeating so many Accusers of the Acolyte faction? What's more, why and how did he have a key to _her_ Bishop?

His answer wasn't good enough.

"Buchou?" Yuuto spoke up. "You alright?"

"I'm not sure…" she exhaled and placed the box down onto the table. She did, however, pocketed the key. "Kiba, I need a favor from you. Please make sure Ise received his package when he returns."

Yuuto studied her briefly, "Buchou… if I may… I think this would be a good chance for you to approach him. You can give it to him and say—"

"Not yet," she shook her head. She crossed her arms again and looked away. "I promise I will. He needs to know. Just… not yet. I will tell him. I will…"

It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

Yuuto said nothing. He nodded in acceptance of his duty. "If you'll excuse me, then. I'm going to put Cali-chan to bed. I'll be back when she awakens or when Issei-kun returns."

0-0-0

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this…" Issei grumbled to himself.

Of course, all it came out as was garbling.

That's what happens when he tried to talk underwater.

It had been almost an hour since he left through the underground passage of his house. Yumi could be frighteningly convincing if given the right operandi. It had nothing to do with her enormous breast. No! Yumi was still a man. Just because she had a large rack, a great ass, a lean waist, a gorgeous face, and full lips didn't mean she was attractive. Not at all. And he _wasn't_ distracted by the way her boobs swayed around hypnotically whenever she talked.

They bounced whenever she shifted her posture. He had difficulty looking from her lips to her breasts. He couldn't recall a single instance in the conversation when he looked at her directly in the eyes.

In the end, here he was, scouring through the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to where he _thinks_ was the place he dumped the Predator Pieces. He never expected to located them again unless to destroy them. He didn't bother to mark it on a map or pinpoint it in the World's system as a savepoint. Sure, he could fast-travel to his last known location but he still had to look for it the hard way.

His vision was limited in the dark abyss. Though a Dragon he might be, he wasn't one fit for underwater exploration. He wasn't that kind of Dragon. He could hardly see a few inches in front of him. Some parts of the water were freezing due to the lack of sunlight and others were boiling thanks to the volcanic cracks.

He was somewhat sure this general area— give or take a mile radius— was where he buried the Predator Pieces. Like… nine, maybe eight percent sure.

He had half a mind to say fuck it and say it was a lost cause. But then he remembered what Yumi said. He couldn't go back to her empty handed. Guilt would eat away at him. Besides, he _needed_ to prove that genderly confusing he-she wrong!

It was fortunate the Scale Mail armor could store air. He could survive the deep vacuum of space for half an hour. Underwater pressure was nothing compared to cosmic radiation. He only had to return to the surface a few times for fresh air before diving back down.

It was searching _inch by inch_ that frustrated him the most. The World didn't offer him any advice either. It wouldn't tell him where exactly to be. It didn't work that way. He had to look for it based on his shitty memory, his gut instinct, and sheer dumb luck.

Two hours into his search and he felt the ground beneath him shake.

Something large came out of the volcanic sulfur. Something with a lot of tentacles and organic lights pulsing through its limbs. Two massive eyes glowed with a maw full of needle-thin teeth was at the direct center of the ginormous blob.

"Wuahahahahaha!" cackled a humanoid figure standing on top of the… cephalopod (he wasn't sure what exactly the thing was).

He also used the term _humanoid_ very loosely.

"I am Oceanus! King of the Sea!" the thing said. It had the body and head of a shark, the arms and legs of a human, and a crown made out of coral bits. "At long last I have awakened the primordial kraken! Now I can wage war against the surface world and reclaim the dry land for we merfolk!"

…Issei just stared. He wasted precious oxygen just standing there at the bottom of the ocean staring at the strange creature.

The World was fucking with him. He knew it. He could feel it tugging at the back of his mind about this. It didn't demand his presence as a Predator immediately, but this was a threat that needed to be taken out _at some point._ Maybe not now, but sometime in the future.

THAT'S WHY HE WAS HERE! No wonder he had been looking around endlessly for the stupid box! The World _was_ fucking with him! It had silently pulled him here instead of where he wanted to be!

Damn it all to hell!

"…I'm really not in the mood for this," he grumbled.

"WHO GOES THERE?!" Oceanus, the King of the Sea (which was stupid because the nearest sea was on the opposite side of Japan), twitched. He jerked his body around in search of Issei. "Where are you?! Show yourself! Or do you cower before the King of the Sea?! Bwahahaha!"

Issei tapped a few times against his helmet. With the recent upgrades in his armor did it feel like a part of him. It did well to quell the headache growing.

"Hmm…" Oceanus' eyes narrowed as he looked around. "Must have been my imagination. Now where was I… Ah yes! Bow before me! For I have uncovered a source of power that will make me the dominant force of the planet!"

…Maybe the World wasn't fucking with him after all.

Oceanus raised something over his head. It was a dark wooden box covered in a veil of magic. Somehow in some way did it manage to remain dry despite being several leagues underwater. Leave it up to Richard to create something as convenient as an absolutely waterproof box.

"Hey! That's mine!" Issei shouted and pointed an accusing finger at Oceanus.

"So someone is there!" the shark-man jumped again. He looked around until he spotted Issei. "There you are! Cretin, bow before me or suffer my wrath! Wait… You're not a fish-folk. You… You're a surface dweller. What are you doing underwater?"

He sounded so genuine about his concern too.

"I'm here looking for the box in your hands!" Issei shouted. "Give it back or—"

"What?" Oceanus leaned forward and put a hand to his ear. Or where an ear should have been. "Speak up. It's hard to hear you."

"I said—"

"What?"

"I said—"

"WHAT?!"

"…I—"

"SPEAK UP BOY!"

Issei's shoulder slouched. The water between them was blocking his voice. He could hear himself perfectly fine but that was only within his helmet. The acoustics didn't travel well underwater, however. Oceanus was only getting enough to hear what was probably white noise.

There might have been a better solution for this. But Issei wasn't in the mood.

Draconian essence coursed through his veins and reverberated through his armor. The water began to boil around him.

He spread his arms apart. The water separated as his impossible strength made it part.

"I SAID—" Issei tried to speak now that a pocket of open space allowed him to speak freely.

"Air!" cursed Oceanus as his hand shot to his throat. "My one weakness! How did you know?! Curse you land dweller!"

…This was seriously a threat the World wanted him to deal with? Like, for real? How could he have conquered the surface world _if he couldn't breathe_?!

The kraken Oceanus stood upon let out a dying shriek as it shriveled up and turned into dust. It exploded into a burst of dust, letting Oceanus fall onto the volcanic soil beneath.

He began to flop around like a fish on dry land, which wasn't too far from the truth. He cursed in an unknown language, probably his own to where Issei's Devil tongue couldn't translate. A few more flops later and he went still.

Issei's little trick had lost its strength shortly after. The water came crashing back towards him. It crushed Oceanus like a car through a junk compactor. But it did nothing to Issei. He remained perfectly still where he stood.

"Finally," Issei groaned as he caught the box drifting towards him thanks to the currents. Richard's magic had protected it from the annihilating forces. "Now I can show that damn handsome that—"

"He's dead!" someone cried out.

It was a heavenly voice full of cheer and rejoice. It made Issei swivel his head around in search of this voice. Only the likes of an adorable underclassman who looked up to her sempai carried a voice like that. He had to find that voice!

…He regretted it.

It was a chorus of voices, actually. Several other figures sprouted out of the ground after the first one, chanting the same line over and over again. They were more merfolk.

Merfolk. Oh how he wanted to find a dark corner and kill himself. He always imagined the merfolk to be half-human and half-fish. Oh how he fantasized about being carried away by a mermaid, suckling on her oppai and being kissed to keep air in his lungs.

Reality was a cold mistress. _These_ merfolk had the bodies of fish and the limbs of humans.

"Glory to our savior!" they cheered and circled around him.

"Hey! Wait! Let me go!" he cried out.

They picked him up and began to fling him around in their cheer. He had lost his sense of direction a few seconds in and was becoming nauseous. He clutched onto the box tightly while trying to keep himself from puking. It wouldn't do well to puke. It would all come out inside his helmet.

"What's he saying?" questioned one of them.

"He wants our children!" answered another.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID!" he shrieked in an almost (he wasn't ashamed to admit it) girlish voice.

"We will gladly bear the children to the slayer of the Seaking!" they cheered.

"NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID!" he tried again.

"He wants it! He wants it!"

"NO! I DON'T! LET ME GO! PLEASE!"

"To the harem chambers!" another said. They all cheered in excitement.

"My gods demand I only sleep with girls with oppaaaaiiiiiiii!" he cried out.

"What did he say?"

"He demands more women!"

"NONE OF YOU ARE WOMEN!"

They carried him off until they reached a great chasm, where the faint lights of an underwater city glowed.

He screamed for someone to save him as they dragged him under.

0-0-0

"Did you misplace them or something?" Yuuto asked. It was a blessing he was back to being a guy again. "Issei-kun, you were gone for five hours—"

"I don't want to talk about it," he snapped and slammed the box down onto the dresser.

It was almost sundown by the time Issei returned. He didn't say a word to anyone. He simply marched straight to where Yuuto was (his room), kicked open the door, and glared daggers at the Knight.

Yuuto's nose crinkled slightly, "What's that smell? It smells like old tuna and… shame?"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Issei roared loud enough to shake the walls.

"Okay, okay," Yuuto winced and covered his ears.

"Huh, wha…?" Excalibur shot up from the bed while looking around. She was still half-asleep when she saw Issei. She groaned, stretched with a yawn, and climbed out of bed until she stood beside her father.

"A deal's a deal," Issei grumbled as he began to fiddle with the lock. "One Piece. I'm giving you a Knight just so you can try it out. This will make you into a permanent Predator with all the perks. You can't turn it off even with that weird trick you use. How do you do that by the way?"

"Both Excalibur and I need to be together as one," he answered.

Issei didn't fully get it but accepted the answer. "Right… Kiba, I don' think you'll be able to remove it just like the Evil Pieces. Richard-san wasn't very specific about it because I didn't plan on using them at all. It might also change you from being a Devil. You might be a Dragon instead like me."

Yuuto was silent for a moment. It only lasted a few seconds before he said, "It changes nothing. I am still Rias' Knight. I will always be her Knight. If anything, this will only make me more valuable to her. I understand Issei-kun. Carry on."

Issei shrugged and undid the lock. He opened it up…

And blinked. One of the Pieces were already missing.

He lifted the box to show Yuuto. "You, uh, didn't happen to already take a Piece, did you?"

Yuuto squinted his eyes and peered within.

He suddenly understood Issei's accusation. One of the Knight Pieces was missing from the collection.

He shook his head, "I didn't otherwise I would have used it immediately. Are you sure you didn't lose it? Maybe it fell out wherever you hid it? Or… someone took it?"

"The lock wasn't messed with," Issei drew the box back and peered within. "Richard-san designed it so only I could open it. I'm sure he could too but I don't think he has it. I'll ask him anyways when I can. I also don't want to go back there if it was lost. Please don't make me go back there. I want nothing to do with those mermaids…"

"Mermaids—"

"I don't want to talk about it," Issei spat, snapping his teeth at Yuuto.

Yuuto put up his hands in defense.

"Right, well…" Issei lifted one of the organic-feeling Pieces between two fingers. It was in the shape of a horse… or, rather, a horse with its genes spliced with dragon. It pulsed in his grip. "Let's get this over with. Kiba, are you sure about this? I'm not just asking because—"

"I'm sure, Issei-kun," Yuuto said without his smile faltering. "We talked about this. Regardless if I can convince you or not, I can't ignore something like this. I'm already a Predator and I know on my own I wouldn't be able to stand up against you. I feel like I'm the most lacking of the group. Without Excalibur, I'm nothing. With this, I will be able to stand a better chance. We do need all the help we can get in the Evensong."

It was a part of the conversation they had earlier. Issei couldn't deny him. True, they were doing this as a part of their argument to see which one of them were in the right. But another part of this was to abuse the boost the Predator Piece provided to grant Yuuto full privilege. He needed to be at the top of his game just like Issei if he was going to be a defender of the planet.

Issei was reluctant… but he had decided to go along with this hours ago.

Yuuto unbuttoned the upper half of his shirt, pulled his shirt apart, and exposed his chest. He stood perfectly still as Issei pressed the Piece against his skin. Immediately, the Piece began to glow and warm in his grip. Gradually, as if passing through the surface of water without trying to make ripples, it seeped through his skin.

…They waited for minutes while nothing happened.

"Do… you feel any different?" Issei asked.

Yuuto lifted his hands, examined them, and clenched them. He looked at Excalibur, who tilted her head. "I… don't feel any different. A little warm but… nothing special."

Other than Yuuto licking his lips, there was no other change to him.

"You don't feel stronger or anything?" Issei asked. "Can you at least hear the World?"

Yuuto shook his head, "No, nothing like that. And I know what it sounds like. It's just… hot. And my heart is starting to race. Maybe it takes a while to activate?"

He fanned his shirt a little bit. Sweat was starting to sprout on him. His face was also starting to redden.

"Maybe I should call Richard-san," Issei pondered.

Yuuto let out a small noise from his throat. He shuddered and said, "Y-Your voice…"

"Kiba!"

Yuuto almost lost his balance as he fell forward. Issei was there to catch him. Yuuto struggled to remain standing upright as he put his hands to Issei's chest. His face was beat-red. And his breathing was hitched. Issei could hear his heart pulse without any of his draconian enhancements.

"Issei-kun…" Yuuto breathed out. "It's… This is… I can't… You look…"

"Hey, come on!" Issei almost grew frantic. "Stay with me now. Don't go passing out on me! Just hold on while I call Rich—"

"I can't… I… need!"

Issei's eyes widened as Yuuto did the unspeakable. He pulled himself upwards and pressed his lips upon his. Worse, he pried his mouth open with his tongue and began to suck out the saliva. A moan of ecstasy escaped through the back of Yuuto's throat. He craved more and pressed himself harder, sucking out more juices hungrily.

…Excalibur watched. Her sleepiness wasn't a burden to witness the show.

It took Issei precious seconds for his mind to reboot.

He didn't so much as push Yuuto away as he picked him up and flung him across the room. The Knight flew through the air and landed on his bed hard enough to have the mattress implode and the frame crack.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Issei shouted at the top of his lungs. He spat several times on to the floor. The taste of Yuuto was still in his mouth. He felt sick. He wanted to gag.

…At least he forgot about the merfolk.

"DUDES DON'T DO THAT TO OTHER DUDES!" Issei bellowed some more. "We talked about this! Being Yumi is bad enough! There are some lines you can't cross!"

"Issei-kun… I… don't…" Yuuto panted. He flopped onto his stomach on the bed and tried to rise. But he fell back down.

There was a drunken look in his eyes with his face going as red as a tomato.

Issei… had only seen such a look in doujinshi. On women. And, at that one moment, with Rias the last time they made love.

Hunger. Nothing but pure hunger remained in Yuuto's eyes.

"Please… help me…" Yuuto pleaded. "I can't… I need… you…"

…His hips began to squirm. One hand went between his legs while the other tried to reach for Issei.

Issei, however, had enough.

He went to the trashcan at the corner of the room and threw up what little he had in his stomach.

0-0-0

 _ **The Evensong**_

 _ **The Earth Mother**_

 __ _They were born together. They shall die together._

 _Their children shall follow through their trepidation._

 _She was first, the mother of all things. She nurtured us, grew us from nothing, and yet we abandoned her. We fed off of her. We thrived off of her, abused her, stole from her, and will use her carcass as our shelter. The beasts she bred shall feed our bellies and build our homes._

 _We loved her. We always did and always shall. We will never forget her. I found her, deceived her, and led her to her death. She cried out 'But, I am the Earth!'_

 _I found her. I grieved for her. She was our mother. Our nurturer and our patron. Our lover. Our provider._

 _And before I smote her where she wept I so declared, 'Yes! But I am Elsewhere!"_

 _ **The Heavenly Father**_

 _He was second, the father of wishes. He came from our dreams, our wishes, our innermost desires. He raised us. He separated us from the beasts. He declared what was righteous, what was just, what was wicked, and what was impossible._

 _He learned prayer from us. He prayed to a Nothingness he knew would never answer. He prayed we will not find him. And Nothing answered him._

 _I found him. He cried out in hopelessness, in petty desperation— a last resort and weep for an age of old. He cried, 'But, I am God!'_

 _We looked at him in pity. In sadness. For he was our teacher, our father, our protector. But it passed._

 _And before I smote him where he knelt I so declared, 'Yes! But I am Man!'_

 _ **Leviathan, the Storm King**_

 _It was the ocean. It was the darkness. It was the wicked, the damned, the evil, the vile, the corrupt, the infected. It was the swarm of wrong that fed on our joy._

 _We revered it. We feared it. We respected it. We learned from its purging storms and desolate plagues. It hardened us._

 _I found it. It thrashed in anger and desperation. It cried out in defiance, 'But, I am the Origin of Sin!'_

 _We awed at its destruction. But it only threw the tantrum of a child. It clung onto its helplessness like a babe unable to walk._

 _And before I smote it did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Light!'_

 _ **Behemoth, the Gentle Giant**_

 _It was the land. It was gentle, nurturing like the mother, warm when needed, cold when needed, and full of life. It embraced all. It loved all. It protected all from the hunters and the predators._

 _We respected it. We adored it. We learned to embrace another through its actions. We learned unity and prosperity._

 _I found it. It wept at our arrival. It knew what was to come and yet pleaded with us to prolong the inevitable._

 _It begged at us. It so said, 'But! I am Peace!'_

 _We clung onto it, never wanting to let go. We did not want to let go. It was the veil. It hid us from the ugly truth of the world. It kept us safe and promised us long lives._

 _And before I smote it did I declare, 'Yes! But I am War!'_

 _ **Ziz, no title**_

 _It was the sky. It was the astral plane. It was the stars that guided us, that taught us mathematics, that taught us how to farm and how to build. It was the essence of knowledge. It was the seeker of truth. It was the archetype of discovery._

 _We worshiped it. We learned from it more than any other. We amassed great civilizations with its guidance. We rejected the impossible and devised methods to prolong our lives._

 _I found it. It tried to reason with me. It tried to convince me to turn back and tell me of all the wrong I would bring at my arrival._

 _I almost listened._

 _And before I smote it did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Corruption!'_

 _[Texts 6-12 missing]_

 _ **13\. Hydra, no title**_

 _It was the taint. It was cleverness. It was senile. It slithered in the muck and devoured the unfortunate within its reach. It was never in the same place. It was seven placed in one._

 _It was immortal. Nine must defeat the nine. One cannot defeat the nine. Only nine against nine at a ninth time._

 _We learned cunning through it. We learned to ignore the gods. We learned to fear the gods. We learned persuasion and philosophy through its hunting._

 _I found it. It tried to entrap us. It writhed and wriggled in its territory. It did not recognize us for what we were and sought to hunt us just as all the others. It cried out in glee, 'But! I am Everlasting!'_

 _I met its gaze. I felt nothing for the creature lacking intelligence._

 _And before I smote it did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Causality!'_

 _[Texts 14-16 missing]_

 _ **17\. Scathatch, the Witch**_

 _She was the impossible. She was the living defiance to an age of old. Witch, they called her. Heretic, they cursed. She was so much more. She was the envy of all living things. She was of flesh and bone yet had managed to reach out to the gods and steal their authority._

 _We learned rebellion from her. We learned nothing lasts forever. She taught us even the impossible may be achieved. She showed us the untouchable can be reached._

 _I found her. She looked at me and said nothing. She so declared through tears, 'But! I am the Last One!'_

 _We pitied her. We could have brought her out. Instead, we left her where she remained._

 _And before I smote her did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Isolation!'_

 _[Texts 17-21 missing]_

 _ **22\. Archibald, no title**_

 __ _He was Man. He was us. We were him._

 _He taught us everything thus far just as we taught him all that we were. He kept us alive. He let us thrive. He was our potential. He was the dominant species. He controlled the planet and drank from its resources._

 _I found him. We looked at a mirror and saw our reflection. We realized what we were doing. It made us hesitate when we approached him. He said to us, 'But! I am you!'_

 _We rejected this notion immediately. His words couldn't be further from the truth._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am He!'_

 _ **23\. Ludwig, the Dragon Slayer**_

 __ _He was the Knight. He was the servant to the Queen of Ancients Great than Man. He hailed from the dragons, had served the dragons, had lived through the dragons, and drew blood from the dragons._

 _We learned weakness through him. He taught us how to conquer that which couldn't. He taught us how to ascend beyond the reach of limitation. He showed us there was more to the world than the world itself. He showed us the sky was not the limit._

 _I found him. He stood to shield his master. But long had he not known his master was gone. Her crown stolen. Her regalia lost. And her purpose skewed. He shouted with all his might, 'But! I am the True Herald!'_

 _We comforted him. We spoke of the truth._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Denial!'_

 _[Text 24 missing]_

 _ **25\. Amelia, the Divine Beast**_

 __ _She was a husk. She was forgotten, abandoned, and abused. She was the zest pool for all things wicked and vile. No joy could exist in her. No good would come of her. She drank the woe and misery of all around her._

 _We learned ignorance through her. She taught us how to ignore our pain, to tolerate the wrongs wrought by others, and how to cope with tragedy. She brought us to bliss in a world of hate and blood._

 _I found her. She clung on to us and begged us not to leave her. She wept at our feet and asked us to show her the light. She cried when denied and said, 'But! I am the Whore of Babylon!'_

 _We longed for her. We wanted to comfort her. We wanted to love her and grant her the child she desired. But the moment passed._

 _And before I smote her did I declare, 'Yes! But I am the Dragon!'_

 _ **26\. [Unknown], the Vampire**_

 __ _He was never meant to be. He was an abomination. He was the blood and shadow from elsewhere. He was the horrors that lurked within the dark. He was the fear always at Man's blindness._

 _We learned nothing from him._

 _I found him. He laughed at us. He mocked us. He thought nothing of us and continued his charades. He cackled, 'But! I am Four!'_

 _We could say nothing to this thing._

 _ **27\. Artemis, no title**_

 __ _He was the wrong choice. He was the burns of the great light. He was the creation of shadows and of the night. He was the day and the sun._

 _We learned presence through him. We learned the value of another in ways the past could not. We learned how to enter and fade through grandeur and concealment._

 _I found him. He could not see us. He searched for us and accused others for our arrival. When we surprised him did he declare, 'But! I am Man!'_

 _We mocked him and his untruth. We knew what he was. We questioned his existence and demanded to know what became of his real self._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Presence!'_

 _ **28\. Chase, no title**_

 __ _He came from elsewhere. He was the Dream. He was reality. He was all that was and more. He was the origin as well as the fault._

 _We learned how to dream from him. We learned how to create and how to destroy. We learned about slumber and how to awaken. He showed us what it meant to imagine and how to accomplish._

 _I found him. He cursed at us. He moved into a corner and bore his fangs. He screamed at us through fear, 'But! I am the Black Sun!'_

 _He reminded us of our father. Our real father. But the similarities were too few. We let the nostalgia pass._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Betrayal!'_

 _ **29\. Li Qin, the Valkyrie**_

 __ _She was innocence. She was a trickster. She was always changing, never the same thing twice, always shifting around like the wind on a whim. She was passionate. She was destructive. She was untamable._

 _She taught us freedom. She showed us what we could do with our power. There was no limit for her. She could reach for the cosmos and hold them in her hands. She could reach for the microverse and rework our foundations. She was the conqueror for nothing could stand in her way._

 _I found her. She questioned us. She tried to change us. She found we could not be changed. She cried out in outrage, 'But! I am the Champion of Mars!'_

 _We treated her for the child she was. We looked down at her. We scolded her._

 _And before I smote her did I declare, 'Yes! But I am the Usurper!'_

 _ **30\. Issei, the Dragoon**_

 __ _He was the hero. He was vengeance. He was the three-faced angel. He was Justice. He was Mercy. He was Wrath. He was the dragon. He was the star splitting the heavens in a crimson flash._

 _We learned greed through him. We learned to savor our possessions and to hold them close. He showed us how to never let go. He told us the truth of all existence through his coveting._

 _I found him. He roared and rampaged. He stood between us and his possessions. He bore his fangs and challenged us, 'But! I am Potential!'_

 _We hesitated at him. We respected him for what he was doing. We felt a loss for what he was protecting._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Love!'_

 _ **31\. Yuuto, the Siege Perilous**_

 __ _He was the commoner. He was born of nothing, lived as nothing, and was discarded as nothing. He was recovered and renewed. He became the father of victory, for he overcame his past and never looked back._

 _We learned loyalty from him. We learned what it meant to hold something over ourselves. We were reminded of what we were before arriving here. He showed us what it meant to serve something greater._

 _Never before have we wanted to return home as strongly._

 _I found him. He defied us. He greeted us, speaking politely, and threatened us through his charming smile. He said onto us when we refused to be gone, 'But! I am Perseverance!'_

 _We did not deny him. But we did not respect him. Nor did we look down at him. We met him where he stood._

 _And before I smote him did I declare, 'Yes! But I am Separation!'_


	11. Paper Faces on Parade

**AN: I keep forgetting to tell you guys.**

 **Evensong is an actual story written by Lester del Rey. The one I use for my story is an alternative version. You guys should go read it.**

 **My goal for this arc is to finish by Chapter 14. And hopefully I finish this book by Chapter 21. That's the goal I'm setting for myself.**

 **Thank you very much for sticking out this long. You've no idea how much I appreciate it.**

 **Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

"Home invasion! Fudge yeah, I'm so glad I got to meet some Devils. Teleportation glyphs are totally far savvier than takin' a thirteen hour flight. Wonder if I could patent my own to the Magistrate—"

As soon as the Archmage of Wales stepped out of his custom teleportation circle, Issei rushed at him. He grabbed him by the hem of his vest and pushed him until his back was slammed against the wall.

Yuuto's cell phone lay open on the floor. It displayed the call had ended hence the person of interest had cut it short and chose to appear from halfway across the globe.

"Dude, it's cashmere," Richard said as he put his hands over Issei's. "There are some respects you have'ta follow. If you're gonna do this, grab the shirt. 'Sides, was a gift from the misses."

Issei… _almost_ went along with it. His grip lessened to obey the Archmage's wishes but then realized the lunacy of it all.

"Fix this," he growled, baring his fangs. " _Now_!"

Richard lowered his colored shades to the tip of his nose to stare at Issei directly. His florescent emerald eyes studied the humanoid dragon for a moment before flicking over his shoulder. Something else had gotten his attention.

Lying on the bed, panting, a deep flush on his face, and a sheen of sweat glistening, was Yuuto. He wiggled around with glazed eyes never leaving Issei's figure. He tried to move, tried to crawl like a dying man grasping at anything with his fingers alone. But Excalibur sat on his back. Evidently it was enough to stop him from moving.

"Did you try telling him no?" Richard answered blandly. "Usually works from the misses…"

He gave a very depressing sigh.

Issei shook him, "This is all your fault! As soon as I gave him one of those Pieces did he start acting like this! I need you to fix this!"

"A'ight, a'ight!" the Archmage managed to hold his ground and grab on to Issei's wrist. He was strong, impossibly so. No amount of effort from Issei's part could get him to budge any further and his grip actually hurt. "Just chill out. Lemme have a look at him and go from there. Tell me what happened. Little love, can you get him to sit up for a sec?"

Excalibur nodded and moved (with one arm twisted behind his back and a wad of hair in her other hand) Yuuto into a sitting position. She had to hold him steady as he continued to lean towards Issei in a drunken stupor.

"…Thank you, love," Richard said as the humor washed away from him. He leaned forward as close as he would dare. He tapped the ridge of his shades and they began to hum with magical energy. He muttered syllables below his breath, altering the magic frequency like a radio signal.

"I don't know what happened," Issei began to explain while he worked. "All I did was put it in his chest. He said he didn't feel any different. And then… this."

"It ain't working…" Richard mumbled. He stood up straight and rubbed the bottom of his jaw. "It's integrated with his Quantum Identity Cortex, doesn't intrude on the Devil Piece with it, but it ain't runnin' on anything. Just sitting there… bleeding him dry. Well… fuck."

The room became sterile.

Fun fact about the Lord Archmage: he did not wear the pants in his marriage. Almost everything he did went by the undeniable law of Saint Charity of Quebec.

Richard Royals did not swear. His wife would kill him.

For as long as Issei had known him, even when he was Donald Douglas a few years back before his identity crisis, Richard had followed the commands of his wife even when there was no absolute way she could find out about defying her.

"I'm telling," Issei stated.

Richard spun on him immediately, "D-Don't you dare! She'll make me sleep on the couch for the next _year_! I ain't you, Ise! I can't just get laid whenever I want! It took me this long just to sleep next to her!"

"And it'll be another decade unless you fix this!"

"A'ight, a'ight, a'ight, a'ight, a'ight," Richard put up his hands. His complexion paled with genuine worry. "Lemme think for a sec. Ah… It installed right. Application just don't wanna start. Ain't enough juice in him. It needs… oh."

Oh. The word came out of him as if the solution was so simple. But his expression washed over. He looked back at Yuuto, looked him over once more to confirm something, and looked back at Issei.

Specifically, he was looking at where Yuuto was looking, following the gaze.

"It…" Richard smacked his lips to pause, trying to find the right words to explain what he knew. "It needs… a kick start."

"…What does that mean?" Issei questioned.

Richard clapped his hands together and rubbed them furiously. He smiled at Issei, a very nervous and uncomfortable smile. It was the sort of thing people used to turn something ugly into a joke and knew it was going to fail.

"The… Predator Piece, don't have the function to turn on by itself. Has all the juice needed to keep it runnin'. But, ah, it needs a, um… ignition. Someone's gotta turn the key to rev up the engine. You follow?"

"Okay…" Issei nodded slowly, being able to follow this much. "How do we make it work then? And what do you mean it's bleeding him dry?"

"See, that's the thing," Richard lifted a finger. "It's trying to start itself up. It's drawing from his internal store of whatever juice he uses. Not just as a Devil too. All of it. His life force as well."

"…What?" Issei blinked. "Well, fix it! You know how to… right?"

"It's a good thing you called right away…" Richard turned back to examine Yuuto. "Poor chap would'a been gone for good by a few hours. Six tops. A normy would'a kicked the bucket in less than an hour. Yeah, I know how to fix it. But you ain't gonna like it…"

"…Please don't tell me I have to kiss him again."

Richard gave him a long stare. His eyes sparkled with curiosity. But then they shifted as he grimaced. He didn't say anything for a long time.

Issei stared back. The glance Richard was giving him wasn't a pause to find an explanation. His stare alone was telling a story. He just didn't want to voice it. His eyes and brows shifted around to guide Issei to the truth, gesturing back to Yuuto on occasion.

A lance of cold swept through Issei. It petrified every corner of his body. His stomach churned and he felt the room spin. He was going to puke again but he had nothing left.

"No."

The one word was an acceptance the world wasn't as innocent as he believed. Boys would be with girls. And girls could be with other girls. That was hot. But the world where boys with other boys was pure utter fantasy. It _only_ existed in the realm of doujinshi, such as the smut the girls from Kuoh Academy drew up on occasion. It was disgusting but it existed only in their two-dimensional world.

The world was a less bright world now.

"…There's another way," Issei blurted out.

"Unless you can find a Dragon— capital 'D', by the way; not any of those lesser wannabes— that matches _your_ signature to the Predator Pieces I created for _your_ exact use. Sure. There's another way. Yeah. Totally."

"NO!" Issei shouted. "Come on, Richard-san! A prana exchange ritual?! That's not real! That can't be real! That's just a stupid plot device for hentai! This is reality! REALITY!"

"Sex magic is the oldest magic…" Richard explained with a serious tone. "And, what'cha call it? A prana exchange ritual? Well, things like that exist."

"C-Can't I just kiss him?" Issei was on the verge of tears.

"Saliva would only be a suppressant," Richard went on as he thought. "It'll only curb his symptoms— make them a bit more tolerable. A direct blood transfusion might also kill him. Nope. What we need is semen. Ain't nothing more potent and safe in this case."

Issei was on his knees, sobbing. "Can't I… I don't know… jerk off in a cup and have him take care of the rest?"

Richard stepped forward, knelt down, and gave a comforting hand on his shoulder. He squeezed hard, telling him to be strong.

"Sorry, Ise. It's gotta be direct. And the both of ya gotta be turned on at the same time."

"YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE!" Issei shrieked. "He's a man! A man! I don't care if this is for life or death! I don't care if this is how we're going to beat the Evensong! What's impossible is impossible!"

"You're the one who asked me to fix this," Richard grumbled. "I'm tellin' ya. Look, I don't know what to say. I don't know what can make this easier. But you're both Predators. You gotta do this or he _will_ die."

Issei's sobbing wouldn't stop. He wailed on like a babe.

Richard gave a sympathetic sigh and tried something else. "Don't do it 'cause of him or you. Do it for your lovely. That Rias girl. She's gonna be heartbroken if she loses her Knight. I don't think the love can take anymore loss. I think it would ruin her…"

"But… But… But…" Issei said between breaths. "He doesn't have… Oppai… Oppai… Oppaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiii!"

"Sorry, Ise," Richard said and meant it. His eyes shone with brotherhood. "The best I can do is go back to my notes and find a way so this don't happen again. But it might be a couple of days 'fore then. I've got a lot on my plate as well.

"I'm stepping out now. I've come what you called for. I'll leave it to ya to do the dirty deed… or to be away from the nuke if ya don't. Choice is yours and I can't make ya. Good luck."

"That's it?! You're leaving me like that?!"

"Yup," was all Richard said as he created a magic circle and vanished in a blink.

All that was left was a sobbing Issei, a heavily breathing Yuuto, and a tired Excalibur.

"Are you going to become the beast with two backs with Papa?" She had such a way with words.

Issei slammed his head against the carpeted floor and wept some more. He wished it was harder. But even if it was concrete he would do more damage to it than to himself. What he really needed was to forget today happened. He _needed_ to discover time travel and stop himself from retrieving the Predator Pieces.

"Cali-chan understands," she said suddenly. "But Cali-chan doesn't want to lose Papa. If you're not going to save him… Cali-chan will take you with us before we go."

She said it with hardened eyes. She didn't have the strength to carry out her threat. Even at her peak she wasn't strong enough to become a threat against Issei. But she was determined to try anyways.

Yuuto moved one hand over his shoulder to pat at her head. "Hey… Be nice…"

Excalibur pouted with her cheeks puffing.

With a shaky and weak hand, he pointed towards the duffle bag he had used earlier. "There. Get… the box."

He held himself back from his desires as Excalibur scurried off the bed, across the room, and almost literally dove into the duffle bag. She rummaged through it until she found the article in question.

The box containing the Richard's gender-swapping pills.

Yuuto took one as soon as Excalibur returned.

The pink pill took effect as soon as he swallowed.

Yumi found the enticement of a woman was far stronger than that of a man's. It burned through her like a raging fire that craved sustenance. It was scorching her insides and driving her mad. It went beyond a craving and teasing. It made her sensitive to the point every fiber of her clothes sent shivers up her spine whenever she moved.

Her clothes… she couldn't stand to have them on. The room was too hot. And the itch was unbearable.

It was her need that gave her power to move. She moved off the bed, crawling on all fours towards Issei. A hunger unlike any other drove her.

"I'll make this… easier for you…" she said. She didn't recognize her own voice. It was carnivorous, playful, and desperate all at the same time. "You like me like this… yes? Issei-kun? You can help me when I'm like this…"

"That doesn't change _anything_!" Issei snapped, looking up with eyes full of tears. "Yumi or Yuuto, it's all the same to me! You're you! You're still a dude! No matter how you look YOU'RE STILL A DUDE!"

"Then don't do anything," she growled through extreme irritation. She reached him, pressed her hands against his shoulder, and gave him a hard shove to the ground. She crawled over him and held him down. "Tell them… I forced you. I threatened you. One Predator to another. Because, Issei-kun… I am. I… can't stop… myself…"

She threw herself at him, locking lips with his.

The kiss had been sloppy. It hadn't been so much as a kiss at had been Yumi invading his mouth with her tongue and reaching for every corner possible. She took in his juices, moaning with bliss as soon as his tongue met hers. Tingles swept through her as his draconian essence went straight into her system.

He pushed her off of him. Hard. He flipped her over and shoved her to the ground. The roles were reversed as Issei pinned her to the ground.

He wiped his lips with his sleeve.

"Don't fuck with me, Kiba," he snarled. "I didn't exactly agree to this."

"Did I step on your pride, Issei-kun?" she purred with her knee raising. It brushed against his inner thigh playfully. But her expression said otherwise. It was full of disgust. "Don't think I'm doing this for… your sake. I know… what I am. I… would have liked… to have my first with… someone I love. With a _girl._ Instead… it's going to be with you."

She reached up for his empty hand and brought it to her chest. Issei's hand sank into her left breast. He could feel every texture through the thin fabric.

"You're a man…" Issei muttered like a mantra. Yet, his breathing hitched as a flush swept through his face. He also couldn't stop his hand from squeezing. "You're a—"

 _~Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan!~_ chanted the predecessors of his Sacred Gear.

What did they know?! They hadn't had real bodies since they died! They were probably just excited to feel something like this after so long! They couldn't tell the difference between _true_ oppai and the _fake_ kind from a transgender!

Ah~ But the feeling was so marshmallowy. Her boob was so soft, so squishy, and yet so firm. He could feel the nipple harden the more he played with it. No! He _wasn't_ playing with it! His hand was acting on its own accord and he had no say in it. It wasn't obeying his command. Bad hand, bad!

"I-Issei-kun~" Yumi moaned and squirmed underneath him. "That… That feels… Mnn~"

Yumi… made a very girlish noise right now. It sent an electric current straight to Issei's brain. The smell of ozone hit him next after something inside him was fried beyond repair.

"Just get it over with already!" Yumi came to her senses and snapped at him.

Issei yelped as her hand shot at the one place all men were weak against. She grabbed ahold of his family jewels hidden beneath his pants. Her face was a mix of emotions— from appall to intrigue to wonderment to hunter to— as she continued to play with them just as Issei fondled her breast.

"H-Hey! Where do you think y-you're…" Issei moved to pull her hand away.

"You say you don't… want to do this…" Yumi muttered darkly. "Yet… look at this. You're a really… bad liar, Issei-kun."

"My body has a mind of its own!" he shouted in defense. "It can't tell the difference even when I know!"

"That… makes things easier for me…" she said while fumbling with the zipper to his pants. She noticed how Issei tensed, unsure on what to do. He didn't stop her. Nor did he help her, which was frustrating on its own.

"Are we… Are we _really_ going to do this…?" Issei asked with one last line of hope in his voice.

Yumi glared at him with daggers, "I hate you, Issei-kun. I really do. I can't… think straight. I want you… so badly I… it sickens me. But… I… need you…"

Her face flushed fiercely as the kiss earlier had run its course. Her eyes glazed back over as she tried to lift herself up for another. Issei reeled his head back. Yumi tried to wrap her other arm around his neck to pull herself up, but Issei grabbed her wrist and held her down.

"Issei…" Yumi moaned, groaned, and pleaded all the same. Her hand had finished with the zipper, reached within, and grabbed ahold of the raw material. She was not gentle in her grasp and a tinge of satisfaction crossed her after watching him wince.

"I… need it… now. I don't… care… at this point. Please… Give it… to me. Please. I'm… begging you."

Issei stared at Yumi fiercely. His eyes changed colors as a feral growl rumbled through his chest. Anger flashed through him. His grip on the girl tightened. It was Yumi's turn to wince. She squirmed under him in pain but couldn't get out of his ironclad grip.

"Issei…" she hissed. "That hurts…"

"Fine," Issei snarled with a fury that had heat burning the air. He said it with such resolution… something within him died. Something he had tried to preserve to his dying breath. And now he was watching it obliterate before his eyes.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to treat you specially. This is going to end as fast as possible."

He tore her shirt off with a single swipe. Her breasts were bare for him to see. They were as wondrous as he had believed. But he was too consumed in rage and humiliation to appreciate them.

He was hurting. His mood had soured. He couldn't even appreciate a good pair of tits.

By the Elder Gods of Debauchery, he _couldn't_ ogle her impressive and tantalizing rack.

Fear and realization swept through Yumi. She realized what she had done. She had prodded against the pride of a Dragon.

"Damn you, Kiba," Issei hissed through fangs. His breath was so hot he aggravated her skin where it landed. "This is all your fault. You _had_ to take one of my Pieces."

A deeper flush went through Yumi's face. She stopped her struggling. Her body went limp.

Issei didn't bother unbuckling her pants. With sharpened nails transformed by his draconian essence did he rip open her pants and yank off the remainder of the shreds.

His eyes flashed at the sight of her fully exposed body. From her princess face stained crimson with a deep flush that ran down to her neck, to her round breasts and erected nipples, to her hardened yet slender abdomen, to her milky thighs.

Another low growl came from him. More fury arose. He couldn't deny the appeal to her form. The practice with swords had shaped her body well. There wasn't a single piece of fat and every muscle from her held purpose.

He hated it. He hated how she looked so damn gorgeous. So salivating.

He couldn't excuse it was _Kiba_ who was enticing him.

"Damn it all to hell!" he roared out one last time.

Yumi let out a shriek that was cut off by a sudden gasp. Her back arched and hands curled up. The one still in Issei's grasp turned into a fist while the other dragged her nails through the carpet. She couldn't catch her breath as tremendous pain and overwhelming pleasure pierced through her. Both were fiery, burning her insides and making her blank out briefly.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Issei repeated in anger. His face was a warped image of loathing as tears streaked down his face.

Yet it didn't stop him from entering her and having his way.

"Issei!" Yumi gasped. "Rough! Too rou— haauuun!"

She couldn't control herself. Moans escaped against her will. Her hand shot over her mouth in a failed attempt to quell her shrieking. Her back was aching as it ground against the carpet. But it was nothing compared to down below. It was as though heated glass had been impaled through her.

…And she loved it.

"F-Finish…" she pleaded to let it all come to an end… as well as to reach a new height in ecstasy.

It frightened her. It intrigued her. As a man, she had never experienced these levels of sensations before. She wasn't sure whether it was due to her becoming a woman or if it was the act of having sex in the first place or because it was the influence of the Predator Pieces. Or all of the above.

More. She wanted more. It went beyond the hunger to feed the Piece within her. It became far more personal. It became selfish.

She started to move her hips against his, trying to work with his movements.

His face contorted into a new expression as he realized what she was doing.

"Don't look at me!"

He grabbed onto one of her legs and flipped her over. He raised her underside while pressing himself against her back. She tried to get up, but he put a hand to the back of her head and pushed her back down. He rode her with her face smooshed against the carpet.

It was driving her mad. More. She wanted more. This position was hitting her in ways it hadn't before. It was filling her with something she couldn't explain. It churned her insides and fiddled with feelings she didn't know she had.

Her eyes flicked upwards.

Excalibur was on the bed, watching and playing with herself. Her breathing was hardened as her fingers moved rapidly. She clutched a pillow under her nose— Yumi's pillow, she realized. She was taking deep breaths as she watched the show go on.

A part of Yumi, some parental instinct (if not sickly twisted in its own right), wanted to give her something more. She wanted to satisfy Excalibur in the same way she was feeling right. She refused to give her Issei— that was _hers_ right now and wasn't willing to give him up. But she would give her something just enough to satisfy them both.

A better view.

It was easier than she thought to alter their positions. Issei was giving it all; he was too focused on his carnal cravings to pay attention otherwise. Perhaps his Predator perk had warned him but he didn't fight against it all the same.

She reached for the hand against her head and twisted her body. He fell sideways, caught off balance. It only took a few quick moves for her to change things. He fell onto his back, trying to get back up, but she sat on his lap.

"Stay _down_ ," she demanded of him with a ferocious look that matched his own. Perhaps more so. The want to please him, herself, and Excalibur combined with raw passion and need did things to her mind that could only be matched by the most intoxicating of drugs.

She moved, spreading her legs out farther and grinding her hips. She kept her back straight as she moved forward and back, up and down. Her eyes locked on Excalibur's for as long as they could. They both grew in excitement at the sight of another. Yumi was fully exposed and Excalibur's motions grew more frenzied.

Eventually, the pleasure consumed her. Her vision glazed over and her body moved on its own. She drank in the pleasure like water. It was vital. It was soothing. It was euphoric. It was everything she needed.

Something new was rising from her core. It made her skin crawl. It made her voice pitch with a new wail of moans and screams. It made her lower body tighten. She could feel Issei inside of her and she wanted to feel more of him. A pressure unlike any other was ready to burst.

…And that was when the pill wore off.

0-0-0

"Ise… please open the door…" Asia knocked on the door for the fifth time.

She was worried for him. Terribly so. She knew he was in his room after his conversation with Yuuto. Yuuto hadn't been answering any of her responses either, however. When she went to ask him what was wrong with Issei… Yuuto was tucked away in bed with Excalibur sleeping beside him. They both looked so peaceful she didn't want to wake him.

…There had been a strange odor in his room though. Something familiar but she couldn't place it. It smelled musky like sweat and fish. But maybe it was just her. Maybe all boys' rooms smell like that. Issei's smelled like that on occasion.

It all began when she couldn't wait any longer. Her heart had been pounding and she couldn't focus on her prayers, though she still finished her nightly routine. She approached his room in the nightgown she had bought with Serene. It was a see-through one-piece that was sure to make Issei very happy.

Her heart hurt. Her mother had purchased this gown for her. Serene had always known Asia was her daughter but never said anything. And she did things like this to make her happy. Mixed feelings went through Asia at the memory.

In any case, Issei's door was locked. She knocked on the door a few times. He didn't respond. She pressed her ear against the door and tried to listen. Maybe he was asleep.

She heard the sound of a shower running… and sobbing. More than just sobbing. Issei was hurt. Terribly so if he was wailing.

She tried the skeleton key, something Rias had given her when the house was constructed just for her whenever she wanted to sneak into Issei's room. It undid the lock but the door wouldn't open. Even with her enhanced strength as a Devil she couldn't get it to budge. Something on the other side was blocking her.

 _"When are you going to realize he doesn't love you?"_ the voice in her head ridiculed. It cracked open a can of beer, took a sip, and let out a sigh of delight. _"All the guys say that whenever they want a good ol' fuck. When was the last time he fucked you? That_ one _time? Look, if he really loved you, he'd fuck you a hundred times. But hey, who can blame him? He's got all these chickies around him, who are far better bombshells than you'll ever be, whenever the fuck he wants to—"_

"Stop…" she shut her eyes and pleaded with the voice. "Stop. Ise loves me. He said so himself…"

The voice in her head laughed but stopped pestering her.

She knocked again, a little louder this time.

"Ah! The Devil-Saint love!"

She blinked and turned her head up towards the hallway.

Richard Royals had come through another adjacent hallway and spotted her. He had a notebook under his arms. With a few leaps, he came in front of her.

…He spotted her attire and looked away quickly, taking off his vest and presenting it to her.

"Please put this on, love," he told her. "No hard feelings. You're a total babe but, ah, you're Ise's love. Don't wanna get in anymore trouble with him. Speakin' which, can ya help me out? I'm looking for him. It's _extremely_ urgent."

"Um…" she said after poking her head through his vest to cover her modesty. Her eyes traced on the door.

Richard understood immediately, gave her a salute, and went to open the door. It was barred from him just as it was with Asia. He slammed his shoulder against it a few times and it opened a tiny bit. Nowhere near enough for him to slip through.

"Stand back," he said while gently pushing her aside at the shoulder.

He spat into his hands, rubbed them together, and took in a deep breath. Power swam through him and thickened the air. It felt like he had taken raw sunlight and let its warmth bathe the hallways. It stung Asia with its intensity. It felt like she was standing in front of a furnace on the hottest day of summer.

"Open say I!" he bellowed with an echoing voice.

The power was expelled. There was the sound of several things rustling against the carpet inside in haste. The door jiggled a few times before the knob turned on its own and the door flung open.

"…I thought it was 'Open Sesame'," Asia commented.

"That's patented by the Disney family…" Richard muttered darkly before entering the room. "The original version, ' _iftah, ya simsim_ ' is patented by the Baba family. Both are expensive as fudge to use. The one I used is a knockoff to avoid copywriter infringement. Magistrate politics; don't worry about it."

They entered together. Both of them had no difficulty seeing in the dark. All of the furniture, and she did mean _all_ of it, had been moved to the front of the room against the door. With Richard's spell, they had been pushed back and spread out enough for them to enter and navigate through. There were lines on the carpet and scratched against the wall that suggested Issei had been in a rush to barricade himself.

But why, her heart fretted.

With a single wave of his hand, Richard unlocked the bathroom door and swung it open. Hot steam poured out like an avalanche of snow. With another wave did he create a layer of air for the both of them to pass through.

They found Issei in the shower. In the fetal position. Rocking himself back and forth. Sobbing, mumbling incoherently, with puffy red eyes.

"Ah…" Richard said and failed to find anything to say about the situation. He instead shifted to the first thing that came to mind. His eyes flicked at Issei's back. "The Gift of Flight _and_ Seduction? Well ain't that somethin'."

"I-Ise!" Asia gasped and went to the shower. She didn't hesitate to step inside the glass container with the water running.

…Though Richard used his magic to pull his sweater vest off of her before getting it wet.

"What's wrong?!" She knelt down at his side and shook him. Her Twilight Healing glowed and ran over his body. "Where does it hurt? What happened? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying…" was his first intelligent words. He continued to rock himself back and forth while lying on his side and knees tucked into his chest. "These aren't tears. They're the shower. The showerrrrherrrrrherrrrrrrrr!"

"Ise, dude…" Richard walked up and knocked on the glass to get his attention. His veil of magic prevented any of the steam and water from touching him. "It's hardly been twenty minutes. Don't tell me this is some rape shower."

Issei wailed a little louder. And then…

"I can never be a briiiiiiiiiide!"

"…Qua?" Richard blinked.

"I scrubbed so much… but the taint won't go away. I shed my skin. _Twice!_ It won't go away. It won't go away. I can still feel the taint on me… I'm violated. I'm soiled. Don't look at me! Asia! I'm not worthy to be yours! I don't deserve you! You don't deserve someone so filthyyyyyyyyyy!"

"M-Mister Royals…" Asia looked up at him with watery eyes that no one with a soul could ignore. "Please help me."

Richard wiped his face with his hand to clear his thoughts. "Ise, all you did was kiss the guy. Get your bum outta there and listen. I found a way to avoid going to the dark side."

Slowly, as if thawing out, Issei's body uncoiled. He turned his head around and gazed at Richard with hollowed, soulless eyes.

Richard opened the notebook in his hand and showed it to the two without stepping out of his veil to ruin the pages. "Look. Totally missed it. Know your Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear? There's a few functions in there. All you gotta do is activate the [Transfer] function. Y'know, directly transfer your draconian gunk to that Kiba kid. You're safe!"

Issei stared at Richard. There was no expression on his face. It was absolutely blank as if the Grim Reaper himself had come by and robbed him of his life. It was like staring into the core of a corpse.

"…Your enthusiasm is overwhelming," Richard mumbled with heavy sarcasm.

Suddenly, without warning, Issei began to wail twice as loud as before. No, it was more liken to the screams of the damned— the tortured souls in the lowest pits of the Underworld who were doomed for all existence for their sins.

Both Richard and Asia had to cover their ears.

Issei scooted away from Asia, too afraid of her touch, and curled himself back into a ball. He hugged his legs, placed his head between his knees, and shook violently with more heavy sobs.

"I can't help ya like this!" Richard shouted over the amphitheater of dragon howling. "Talk to me, Ise! You're scaring your love here!"

"What's going on here?!" Rias came into the bathroom with Akeno in tow. They both had their hands over their ears. "Lord Royals! What happened?!"

"That's what I wanna know!" he shouted back, barely audible even as they were standing so close. "The chap ain't sayin' nothing! Says he's tainted or something!"

Asia, meanwhile, was trying her best to shake Issei out of his frenzy. Her touch wasn't working. He was too lost in himself to notice her.

"The pill…" _finally_ , he stopped crying just enough to say something. It was in a dark and distant voice. "Half-hour it said. It was only nine minutes and thirty-two seconds since he took it. He was Yumi. And then. And then. Annnndddd theeeeeeeeeeeeeen!"

He lifted his head to let out another wail.

Richard muttered something below his breath and flung his arm forward.

A wad of duct tape appeared over Issei's mouth.

"What about Kiba?" asked Akeno.

"Ise here called me all outta the blue," Richard began to explain while he tried to pop his ears. "Said somethin' was wrong with the Predator Pieces…"

He went on, explaining what he had diagnosed after examining Yuuto. He hadn't anticipated the Predator Pieces needing a trigger for them to activate. If the one inside Yuuto wasn't activated within the next six hours, the Piece inside will drain him of all his energy and leave him as a hollow husk. Yuuto would be dead.

Richard gave a suggestion— suggestion implied heavily as he didn't meet their eyes— on how to fix the problem. He also promised Issei to find a way to fix the problem for future reference. He said it would take a few days until he had an epiphany. He crunched in the numbers, performed a short experiment in his workshop, and rushed back here to give the good news.

It hadn't been twenty minutes since he left the Hyoudou residence.

"I don't believe it…" Rias said below her breath. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. She had to take a step back to steady herself.

"I don't either…" Akeno, however, had her own reaction. Her smile was gone, replaced with something… gruesome. "I open my heart to Ise-kun and _Kiba_ gets laid before I do?"

"Wait, wha?" Richard turned to her. "No… That can't be. Come on. Ise here is young and all but, really, ain't no way he's a, _urhurm_ , early bird. He's a Dragon. 'Sides, I was only gone for a bit. Nothin' could'a happened while I was gone. Not enough time!"

"Kiba…" Akeno muttered. Her smile returned. Or… a different smile showed up in any case. "Kiba… With Kiba… Kiba…"

She cackled under her breath to a joke only she understood.

Rias gave him a deadpan look.

It was enough for Richard to see the error in his reasoning.

"…Oh," he said simply. He bowed his head and pressed a few fingers to his lips. His face turned white. "Pills. Yeah. I see now. That probably convinced him to go on with it in the end. Didn't think he still had those. Thought he'd use them all up by now. It's been… two years since I made them? Still, the rape shower? Maybe… because of the fever the pill burned out?"

Issei let out a small whimper beneath the tape.

"Thank you, Lord Royals," Rias let out a sigh she had been holding in. "We can take it from here. I'm sorry for your troubles."

"Nah, don't worry about it love," Richard said. "Just takin' care of business. Gotta repair faulty merchandize— it's bad for business. Here's a full manual describing everything he might need. Call me immediately if anything else shows up."

He handed her the notebook, to which she skimmed through with her thumb flipping the pages rapidly. There were at least a hundred and fifty pages regarding the Predator Pieces in the Archmage's handwriting.

"Doctor prescribes he regains he manliness," Richard commented. "He needs a good gal. Or two. Or three. Or—"

"Thank you, Lord Royals," Rias stopped him as she repeated. "We can take care of it from here."

"…Right. Night all."

He excused himself with a nod. There was a flash of light and he was gone from the premises.

"Honestly, Ise…" Rias sighed once more as she entered the shower… but not before turning it off. She knelt down in front of him.

He looked scared. Hurt. Wounded. Guilty. Like a puppy who had been abused by their owner and abandoned. He was confused and questioned what he had done to deserve all of this. He blamed himself.

…Honestly, this boy.

"When I heard the screaming…" she breathed out, a bit of relief sweeping through her. "I feared the worst. Akeno and I rushed in here as soon as we heard…"

She reached for him. His eyes widened and he pressed himself as far back as he could away from her. She frowned slightly. The notion hurt her in more ways he could possibly understand.

She came to him instead, giving him no chance to run away. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close for an embrace. She didn't care about getting a little wet.

He shuddered in her arms. But he weakened as soon as his head rested against her chest. It was his ultimate bane. He let himself go and accepted her grasp.

"Please don't make me worry like that again," she breathed out.

She stayed like that longer than she should have. A cold and saddened part of her craved his company. She was doing this both to snap him out of his idiotic mood… as well as to selfishly breathe him in.

"…Stop," Asia muttered.

Rias lifted her head. She was a little peeved her Bishop had asked something. "I'm only borrowing him for a bit, Asia. You can have him for the rest of the night like we agreed. Indulge your King in this selfishness a bit longer."

"Huh?" Asia blinked at her. Her eyes widened suddenly as she blurted out, "N-No! That's not what I… I mean… I'm sorry, Rias. I think Ise is happy where he is right now…"

Something sad glinted in Asia's eyes. Rias looked at her closely but said nothing.

She didn't know about the voice in Asia's head. Asia hadn't told anyone about the haunting mental impression of her murder.

"I… don't mind sharing, Rias," Asia said, almost forcibly. "Honest. You're his girlfriend too. B-Besides, Mister Royals suggested two or more girls. I-I'm not ready to share him with the others but… if it's you…"

"Mmnn?!" Issei came back to life with her words. But the tape was still over his mouth.

Rias said nothing. Her grip around Issei lessened slightly.

"No," she smiled. "I don't want to ruin your night or else I'd take him all to myself. Tonight is your night, Asia."

"Mmmhmm hhhmmm mnnn!" mumbled Issei. He was _perfectly_ fine with sharing. In fact, he was ecstatic about it.

Rias ignored him, feigning confusion.

In response, he tried to remove the tape. Tried. Whatever Richard had done left it on his lips with enough magic to make it stay. Period.

"Um… then Akeno…?" Asia looked up at the Queen next.

"Oh no, but thank you for the offer," she said sweetly with a matching smile. "I'm glad somebodyputs me before Shidou-san, Quarta-san and, oh, _Kiba_."

Issei felt the words jab into his heart. He wanted to say something but the blasted tape wouldn't come off! It felt like the harder he tried the more constricting the glue became. Nothing save peeling off his flesh would get it off.

"Leave it," Rias demanded, placing a finger to his lips. "That's your punishment for scaring us like that. If you can't get it off in the morning then we can call Royals-san."

"Mnn Mhmm…" Issei whined.

"No buts," Rias parted and placed her hands on her hips. "We can talk about everything else later. Good night, Ise. Asia will take good care of you."

She bent down and kissed his forehead. Her touch lingered. The feelings of love, longing… and guilt flashed through her. She forced them back down, put up a loving smile for his sake, and departed with Akeno.

Issei stared after her. He had been able to pick up on her feelings. He wanted to go to her and ask her what was wrong. He wanted to ask if he had done something to hurt her. He wondered if it was still because he hid the Predator Pieces from her.

But… that wasn't fair to Asia. What kind of man would he be to abandon one girl for another? He had already agreed to spend tonight with Asia.

"Hmm mmnn nnnmmhmmm hmhmmhn?" he asked… and then wanted to slap himself for not realizing the tape was still over his mouth.

"Ise… are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"Hmn hmm mnnn!" he boasted, putting a fist over his heart.

She smiled lightly at him, "That's good then. Ah! O-Oh no… My dress is…"

Her nightgown wasn't exactly ruined (it was machine washable) but it was soaked straight through. It clung to her like a second skin.

Steam blew out of Issei's nostrils at the sight of her. The fabric was thin enough to see straight through it by design. But applied with water to have it cling onto her added a new depth to its appeal that boiled his blood. It was a dangerous weapon to wield and someone as defenseless and innocent as Asia wielded it with the highest efficiency.

It was a critical hit!

"I-Ise! Wait! I'm still wet!"

He didn't care. Not one bit.

He scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the room.

0-0-0

"Bender. Novella. What is it you want?" she asked with a voice on edge. Her eyes narrowed as two of her coworkers entered her laboratory. Without an appointment or notification he was going to arrive in the first place! The nerve!

"Mistress!" her receptionist, a minor Original by the name of Bitty, was on the heels of the drag queen. "I tried to stop them but they insisted! Shall I call security?"

Bender, meanwhile, waited patiently for a cue to answer. Novella shifted uncomfortably where he stood.

Breast Lover put down her pencil and pocketed her glasses. "This better be good, Bender. I'm a little busy, as you can see. I've a lot to cover by myself. Make it quick and then get out."

"Sweetie," his voice was sultry and soothing and laced with honey. He also had too much eyeliner this afternoon. "I'm here to apologize. We've recently found your subject has a bit of claim to it."

She cocked a brow at him, a gesture for him to continue.

"One of my interns found this," Novella stepped forward and placed a few sheets of paper in front of her workstation.

 **Seventh, the Dragoon** read the top of the page. It was an excerpt from a story considering it jumped immediately into a plot she didn't understand.

But… it circled around her subject. _Specifically_ the one Issei Hyoudou she had been observing. Out of the infinite number of them in the 3x3 Kings' Realm, this story was written around _his_ life.

"Which one of your interns found this?" she questioned, flipping through the pages. Most of the details she couldn't understand as it had everything to do with the concepts only found in the 3x3 Kings' Realm.

"Fanfiction," Novella answered quickly.

"The new guy?"

"The new guy."

"Okay…" she put the pages down while keeping a finger in to keep her place. "What exactly does this have to do with you? And Bender? Start with Bender first."

"The chapter that was posted this morning," Novella pointed back to the pages. "Chapter eleven. The opening scene."

She eyed them both for a moment. Bender gave her a large grin without any teeth. It was a mischievous smile belonging to someone who couldn't hold back excitement or couldn't wait to tell the punchline of a joke.

She flipped through the pages until she found the marked Chapter 11.

She blinked. Not because of the foreign concepts like Sorcery, magic, and the convoluted Predator system. But because of the situation itself.

She went back to Chapter 10, read the last passage…

…And then suddenly realized why _Bender_ was here.

They left her in silence as she sped through the next few scenes of the story.

"No…" she whispered when she was concluded.

"Yes," purred Bender with a toothy smile. "Your ward holds _some_ claim. I won't deny it. But my interest is in this… Kiba person."

"You're not here for my research or the Oppai Dragon," she sighed with irritation. "You're just going to use me for your own gain, aren't you?"

Novella shifted uncomfortably by her glare.

Bender wasn't afraid. He was just as old as she was, born as soon as both genders were spawned in existence, just as she was spawned from femininity.

He smiled as he stepped close, curling slender fingers under her chin and making her look up. He was close enough to kiss her.

"Whether it is or isn't is not the question," he spoke soothingly. "Breast Lover, sister, honey-kins, you need us. You need _me._ Let's not fight over this. I did say I was sorry, didn't I?"

"No… you didn't," she said.

He let out a small chuckle that rang like bells. He stood straight, turned back towards the door, and snapped a few fingers.

That was the cue for the small legion of lesser Originals to waltz in on her laboratory. Bender's personal researchers and designers had flooded her workshop. Behind them, nervously following in their shadows the way only those belonging to a herd would, Novella's writers and editors entered as well.

Poor Bitty was almost knocked to the floor by their rushing.

"Tell us where we need to be and how we can be of assistance," Bender spun around on his heels, almost dancing, as he spread his arms wide. "We are at your disposal. Tell us, Breast Lover, what is our first order of business?"

Novella was giving her a very apologetic look.

She glowered. But she couldn't ignore the resources both Bender and Novella had given her. Regardless of his intentions, Bender was giving her full command of his assistants. She had the manpower (and probably the funds; that was the biggest issue) to carry out her research. She would get things done significantly faster than anticipated.

She stood and announced, "First, we make contact."

0-0-0

"Wake up," she said.

"Hmm mmm mmhmm…" Issei snapped back at her.

Tiamat stared down at him as she sat at the edge of the bed. A curious brow rose at the sight of him but she didn't ask the obvious question. Her eyes did it for her.

"Mhmm," Issei replied.

"…I see," she nodded with her eyes glinting.

"Hmm mn hmhmmhn mn?" he asked.

"I can," she answered. "But hearing that is irksome. Hold still."

In a fluid and swift motion, she peeled off the tape without it making a sound. He didn't feel any pain immediately. But then his nerves caught up and his mouth began to burn. Still, it didn't hurt as badly as having his whole skin peeled off.

The magic on the tape must have run out.

"How did you even get in here?" he asked in a quiet voice. Asia was still asleep beside him. "Did you transform to slip through the barrier?"

Her answer was to show him a silver key. A silver key that allowed access into his house without being eaten alive by the space between spaces that separated his house from reality.

"Did Rias give you that?" he asked.

"I took it from your person," she answered. "When you were under my care in my citadel. Pack your things. We leave soon."

He frowned at her and tried to snatch the key from her. She was too quick for him and pulled her hand away before he was halfway reaching it.

"How soon?" he grumbled.

"As soon as possible," she said calmly, though a bit of impatience laced her voice. "Others have already arrived at the destination. I would like to converse with them. Perhaps some of them will cure you of your ailment. The more time we have prior to the meeting the better our chances will be."

"There are some things I still need to take care of," he said as he sat up. "I can't just leave yet."

Now she didn't hide her impatience. She stared at him, challenging him to defy her.

He met her gaze with one of his own.

She relented and stood from the bed. "One hour. I shall await for you in the foyer. It is important you come with me, Ddraig."

She left his room after that.

He looked at the clock. It was six in the morning. Dawn was barely starting to creep over the horizon. Thanks to his stamina as a Dragon and Asia's as a Devil, it meant he had only been asleep for… ten minutes.

Oh sleep. How he missed it so.

He was showered and dressed in less than five minutes. He was on the clock and knew Tiamat would hold him to the schedule. He had some things to settle before he went with her to… wherever she said they were going. Had she mentioned it? She only said they were going to meet with others of their kind. Yet more freaky super aliens from another dimension just like her.

He moved back onto the bed and brushed the hair out of Asia's face. He didn't want to wake her after last night. But he didn't want to just leave her like that. He didn't know when he'll be back.

He felt a little sorry. But he decided to wake her up.

"Asia… Asia…"

"Mmn?" she stirred, gradually being pulled out of a slumber she collapsed into. He shook her shoulders gently to help her out. Her eyes dully fluttered open without them focusing on anything. Exhaustion desired to drag her back under. But even in her dazed state could she recognize her love. It was what pulled her out of her dream.

"Ise…?" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry for waking you," he said gently. "I want you to know I'm leaving."

"Leaving…?" she repeated. Her eyes drooped but she fought to stay awake. "Where?"

"I… don't know," he admitted. "But I'll be back soon. I promise."

"M'kay…" she mumbled, too tired to think of anything else.

"I love you, Asia."

His words pulled her more out of the dream. Her eyes opened up a fraction. Delight and warmth swept her features. The smile on her lips gave him the strength to achieve anything.

"I love you too, Ise," she said with a single exhale. Her eyes drooped until she was fast asleep once again.

He kissed her on the cheek and left her like that.

0-0-0

"G-Good morning, Nee-san."

"Oh, good morning, Ise-kun," Akeno's smile didn't change in the slightest. Nor did she look at him. She only stared directly ahead as she stirred the pot.

"Um…" he fiddled with his fingers. There was a wall between them that hadn't been there before. "Akeno-neesan, I'm leaving. I wanted to talk to you before I go…"

"Is that so…?" Again, absolutely nothing about her changed. "Have a fun time. Make sure to be back soon."

She continued to stir the pot without paying him any mind. Her response sounded distant as if she was talking to someone else.

"Um… about last night…"

"Hmm?"

"T-That shouldn't have happened! I don't care how pretty he is or how great the oppai might be, Yumi is still a dude! If it wasn't for Richard-san—"

"I know, I know," she cackled, her smile growing slightly. "Rias and I read the manual last night. How convenient. You get to sleep with everyone you give a Piece to. I wonder, Ise-kun, would you sleep with me or shirk me and use that [Transfer] ability?"

Well… if given the option the choice would have been obvious. But that didn't seem to be the point of her question. It was more of an accusation than anything.

If he hadn't realized it before, he knew now. Akeno was _pissed._

"Nee-san, can't we talk about this?" he pleaded.

"What's there to talk about?" she turned to him. Her smile was still plastered on her face but it was frozen still. A beastly glint of rage burned in her eyes. "It's not like anything will get through that thick skull of yours. Even after I embarrassed myself yesterday with our last talk you go behind my back and court Kiba. _Kiba._ I wouldn't have minded if you approached Koneko. But _no._ You went after the forbidden fruit itself. Do you have any idea how _humiliated_ I feel? To have a _boy_ chosen before me?"

"It was do or die!" was his only defense.

"You didn't seem to be so pressed over the matter," she stabbed into him. "The Lord Archmage said he was only gone for twenty minutes. I wonder how much of that time you _thought_ about it."

What strength he drew from Asia had been spent. He felt deflated.

"I understand why you did it," she turned back to the pot, absently stirring it. "But you could have at least mulled it over a bit longer. It sounds like you couldn't wait to sleep with him. Was him as a woman more appealing to you than… me?"

"NEVER!" he bellowed, slamming his hands onto the island at the center of the kitchen. "If it was you Nee-san I wouldn't have hesitated! I'd be pinching myself and worshipping my gods for such an opportunity!"

She stopped stirring briefly to look at him. A small tint of pink sprouted across her cheeks. She caught herself and quickly looked away.

"T-That doesn't excuse what you've done," she snapped.

"Nee-san… I don't want to leave with us like this. At least tell me how I can fix this…"

She looked at him, her smile slipping a fraction. Her hand continued to move as she stirred the pot and thought.

"Ask me," she said.

"Okay…" he nodded but drew in a blank. "Ask you… what?"

" _Ask_ me," she said again as if a second time would make things easier.

He drew in another blank. But his instincts warned him to keep his mouth shut. Something bad would have happened if he said another clueless line. So, he listened to the World's guidance and tried to think things through.

"Nee-san… would you…" His lips twitched. Doubt flooded his heart, a secondary instinct he couldn't remove. After all, Himejima Akeno was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever known. She was the traditional Japanese beauty that was the apple of every eye. And he was just a dweeb.

Still, it wasn't entirely a shot in the dark considering their previous conversations.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" he asked.

She stopped stirring suddenly. Her eyes widened with surprise. As if she hadn't been expecting his request.

Had he read the situation wrong? He had thought that's what she wanted. Or had he been too forward? Had he been expecting too much? The pit of his stomach dropped as he feared he may have overstepped his bounds.

But, just as suddenly, her smile changed to something of bliss. "A-A… date? O-Oh. I was expecting… a night. But to think Ise-kun wants to go on a date instead? That sounds… lovely. Yes, Ise-kun. I'd love to go on a date with you."

And just like that, his stomach pulled off a backflip.

"W-When I get back," he blurted out and found it difficult to meet her eyes. He was blushing as if he had never talked to another girl before. "I don't know when I'll be back. But it shouldn't be too long. We can go somewhere after that."

"I'd like that very much…" she said with a faint blush of her own.

The swinging door opened.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," Yuuto stepped in with an apologetic smile. "I only came in because I was on cooking duty. Ah… G-Good morning, Issei-kun."

He blushed and looked away.

Issei turned, his face ashen white with a cold sweat soaking his shirt. He took three steps towards the kitchen sink… and hurled what little he had in his stomach down the drain. He hadn't eaten in the past few days and so only flam and acid poured out.

"Kiba~" purred Akeno with a wide grin. "What perfect timing. You and I need to have a little… chat."

Yuuto's smile turned nervous. Excalibur clung onto his leg and used him as a shield.

"I'm gonna… go," Issei said without daring to look at Yuuto else faint.

"Have a safe trip, Ise-kun~" Akeno gave him a sing-song departure that was genuine. Anyone could have heard the amount of love and affection put into it.

But as soon as Issei stepped (ran) out of the kitchen, a dark aura radiated out of Akeno.

"W-What did you want to talk about?" Yuuto asked, though he had a suspicion on what it was.

Akeno didn't respond immediately. She cackled below her breath while going back to stir the pot.

"…The flame's off," Excalibur noted.

Yuuto stepped forward and peered into the contents.

"…There's nothing inside."

"Oh, how silly me," Akeno dropped the spoon and stepped away. She put a hand to her cheek and sighed, "My mind must have been so full of ideas I forgot about breakfast. Now, Kiba, why don't we have that _talk_?"

0-0-0

"Koneko-chan? It's me. Are you awake?"

He knocked on the door in three soft rasps and called out to her.

He heard the sound of shuffling followed by feet dragging against the floor. A moment later and the door creaked open half an inch. He saw one of her golden eyes peer up at him through the crack.

"Can we… talk?" he asked while scratching the back of his head.

She stared at him, unblinking. He could sense her arguing with herself between slamming the door in his face and letting him in. But even if she let him in didn't mean she was going to be nice to him. He could almost physically feel the amount of anger boiling inside her.

She decided to let him in. She stepped back and opened the door. He thanked her for it, apologized for the intrusion, and stepped inside.

He wanted to say Koneko's room was cute. Very cute. But the feeling in his gut told him if he so much as _thought_ that she wouldn't react nicely about it.

…Having that said, he couldn't help but think _she_ was cute. He had disturbed her considering the sheets of her bed were ruffled and thrown open. Plus she was dressed in a matching pair of flannel pajamas with a night cap.

She glared at him silently for ogling her. But he couldn't help it! Koneko-chan looked so cute!

She glared harder at him as though reading his thoughts… or seeing the obvious expression on his face he couldn't hide.

"…What?" she demanded as she plopped herself onto her bed.

He sat seiza before her. "Um… Koneko-chan… there's something I want to confirm."

She eyed him, her brows furrowing into a straight line.

"Does… Koneko-chan… like me?"

She didn't show any reaction. At least not willingly. While her expression remained exactly the same, her cheeks flushed.

"I think sempai is the worst and should drop dead," she said in deadpan.

"…I didn't know," he bowed his head slightly.

Her brow twitched, "Ise-sempai really is an idiot. Does sempai… not see me as a woman?"

His brows shot up this time. "W-What? What are you talking about?"

Her glare deepened, "You never look at me like you do with the others. I get I'm small. My boobs aren't as big as the others. And I'm not as pretty as them. But sempai went after the new girls. I thought—"

"Koneko-chan, I'm _always_ looking your way. But I always look away before you notice. The World tells me you'll try to hurt me if I get caught."

Her eyes were full of disbelief.

He scratched his cheek as he went on, "But… I didn't think you liked me that way. So I never tried anything. Of course I look at you that way. Don't you remember the last time you caught me? It was when you were changing in the locker room."

Her expression shifted. Yes, she remembered. In a simpler time she had sensed eyes looking her way before swimming class. Perverted eyes. She found the point of origin; it had been an unused locker that had been connected to the boy's side.

The legendary Perverted Trio had been there, spying on all the girls.

A simpler time indeed. That was before they learned the Vampire had been masquerading as one of the perverts for who-knows how long. And as for Motohama?

Nobody remembered him. Nobody could. People questioned why it was called the Perverted _Trio_ but then their curiosity died immediately.

She didn't believe Issei had been spying on her specifically. She just happened to be there with the rest of her class. He could have been ogling any of them.

But… a part of her reasoned with him. She wouldn't have sensed anything if he hadn't been looking at her.

But that was back then and this is now.

"When I showed you my swimsuit," she recalled that one time they went to the beach a few weeks back. "You weren't excited at all."

"Yes I was," he argued. "You guys almost killed me with that! Especially when you started to take your suit off for some sunscreen! Do you have any idea how much that messed with me?!"

They were silent for a moment.

"Do you remember when we trained for the Rating Game?" he asked. "That one night you came to my room. You asked me if I was scared of you. You told me everything, about your heritage and how you could lose control of yourself. When I promised to watch after you, I meant it. If you didn't want to use your power, I would help you find something else.

"Koneko-chan is very special to me. It meant a lot to me when you came to me and asked for advice. My feelings have never changed. I was just afraid… you didn't feel the same way."

He looked down with his hands in his lap.

"…Sempai is an idiot," she mumbled below her breath. He wasn't supposed to hear it.

"I just want to make things right before I go," he sighed.

"Go?" her attention perked up.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm going to be away for a bit. Don't know when I'll be getting back… It sounds like I'm repeating myself. I should have asked what's going on…"

She bit her lip as she bowed her head. Her hands coiled into small fists at her lap.

"Next time…"

"What about next time and what?" he blinked at her.

She glared at him. "Treat me to some takuyaki."

"…Koneko-chan, you're very easy to buy. Sure. I'll treat you to anything you want. Does this mean you're not mad at me anymore?"

Her eyes glinted. He suddenly began to worry for his wallet.

"Not until I have my fill," she said simply. She looked away as another thought came to her. Her cheeks reddened. "So… Ise-sempai… likes me too…?"

"I've… always liked you Koneko-chan," he nodded and spoke with his feelings. "I just thought with all the mean things you say to me all the time it wasn't the same."

Her cheeks puffed. Both in irritation for him in not understanding… and for herself for recalling every instance she threw something at him.

"No one else," she said. And meant it. "Ise-sempai is a leech and a huge pervert. It's bad enough you want a harem. If it gets any bigger and my time will decrease."

"Even if I get a hundred girls I'll still treasure Koneko-chan!"

"NO MORE!" she shouted.

"Um… I don't think you'll have to worry about that," he said sullenly. "I can't think of anyone else who would like me like this. You guys are… special. We've been through a lot. I think this is as big as it's going to get."

She glared at him with colossal disbelief. "Ise-sempai is a super pervert with a lot of baggage. Most girls would run away after the first day. But… you have a big heart. You're not a bad person. And you're very reliable."

She got up suddenly, closed the distance, and plopped herself down onto his lap.

She blinked. She leaned against him and took a few sniffs.

"…Ise-sempai, why do you smell like Yuuto-sempai?"

Instead of answering, he held her tight… and began to sob.

She didn't understand what was going on. But… she liked him holding onto her like this. It made her feel needed. As though he valued her company.

She decided to indulge him like this until he stopped crying.

0-0-0

"Eh?! You're leaving?!" asked Irina.

"For how long?" questioned Xenovia.

"I _really_ should have asked Tiamat that," he slouched and sighed. "I don't know. Can't be _that_ long. A day. Maybe two? All I know is I'm going out of town to meet with some very important people. Besides, if anything happens I can get here immediately. My flying is as good as Instant Transmission!"

He found them down below in the training facility, working out a morning sweat in their Exorcist leotards. Praise be to the Gods of Debauchery for inventing such skin-tight outfits. It hug around their curves so smoothly he could make out the wedge of their butts and the tips of their nipples. It was almost as good as seeing them naked. And, if he was in such a mood, it could also be better.

He wondered if he could convince them to wear them for one night…

"Should we go with you?" Irina asked.

"Eh? Why?" he had been caught off guard by her question.

"It's my understanding we are now a part of your peerage," Xenovia said. "Just like Madam Serene. We're only waiting for the official recognition and for you to receive your Evil Pieces. Even so, we should follow you if this is important."

Did he agree to that? He must have. No, he should have. He _did_ sleep with them both. He had to be a man and take responsibility.

But, he shook his head. "No, I think it would be better if you stay here. I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I don't know if there will be any danger. Plus… I want you to stay here and keep an eye on Asia. I don't think she's gotten over Amy's death just yet."

They both nodded in understanding.

"Ise-kun…" Irina said steadily. "Are you okay? I don't know how close you and Madam Serene were. But… she was your Queen…"

He missed her. That much was for sure. He missed having her at his side. He missed being able to lean on someone and to have his back. He missed being able to turn to her for advice, to complain, and for comfort.

Most of all, he missed _her._ Amelia Rosewood was more than just his Queen. She was his confidant. She was a person who had chosen to follow him out of her own free will. She placed her trust in him.

Amelia was his friend.

"I'm okay," he said after a moment. "I don't know how to feel, honestly. I miss her, I do. But… I hardly knew her. She always kept to herself and always had me second-guessing her intentions. I'm sad she's gone. I can't imagine how Asia's feeling. She's known Amy much longer than I have."

He folded his arms and bowed his head.

"We'll take good care of her," Irina assured. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Make sure to come back swiftly and safely," Xenovia said next. It almost sounded respectable. Almost. "The sooner you impregnate us, the better."

And there it was! The true purpose of her concern!

"Xenovia, can we have one conversation with Ise-kun that _doesn't_ mention anything dirty?" Irina whined.

"Dirty?" Xenovia blinked. "I've decided to dedicate my life serving him. What better way to serve him than to guarantee an heir?"

"Actually," he put up a hand to stop them both. "I was hoping we could go somewhere and… talk. When I get back, I mean. I want to get to know you guys better. I want… something more than just _servants_ and…"

He eyed Xenovia. He didn't have a specific word to describe her desired position.

"Concubine?" she finished for him.

"…That," he deadpanned.

"A date?!" Irina bounced on her heels. It did… marvelous things with her breasts. "Is this a date with Ise-kun?!"

He wanted to say something else. But… he _slept with them._ He owed them more than just a small chat.

"Sure," he said. "If… you don't mind, that is."

"That would make my world," Irina breathed out with utter delight.

…Her smile. It made him not mention his earlier engagements to Akeno and Koneko. He couldn't bear to let that smile slip even a tad bit. It would be equal to disappointing a small child on their birthday. Or kicking a puppy. Or telling Asia he accidentally vacuumed her rosary.

…He wondered if she was still looking for it.

"I'll be going now," he waved at them. "I only have a little bit of time before I have to leave. Otherwise I would have talked some more."

"So there's not enough time for a quicky," Xenovia pouted. "Take care, Issei. We will be awaiting your return."

"And we'll watch over Asia-chan," Irina interjected. "Bye, Ise-kun. Have a safe trip!"

He smiled at them and departed for the final task.

0-0-0

He found this one to be the most nerve-racking. Not that he slowed in his steps or hesitated at her door. Just that his heart was pounding, nerves fraying, and it felt like he had to puke. His palms were starting to get sweaty.

Rias opened the door almost immediately. She was dressed in a red and black blouse-skirt combo. His eyes drank her in. He, with a silent apology to the others, would say Rias was _the_ most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Perhaps it was because she was his first. Perhaps because they had been through so much together. Perhaps because she had done so much for him.

He was reminded of how much he loved her just by the sheer sight of her.

"Ise," she blinked with surprise. "Good morning. What is it?"

Here, he hesitated. He wanted the time to go on much longer. He kept her last because he knew he would want to spend the most amount of time with her. She was last because he wouldn't have had time to talk to the others.

It probably wasn't fair. But he would be ridden with guilt if he ignored the other girls while they were furious at him.

"I'm leaving," he said.

…He should have been a little more specific.

Sheer horror swept through her, knocking the wind out of her.

"…What?" her voice was so small and so full of fear.

"N-No!" he said suddenly. "Not like that! Just for a little bit! A few days! That's all!"

"O-Oh…" she breathed out and leaned against the door a little bit. "Oh. I thought… No, it's nothing. Where are you going?"

…He mentally smacked himself. He told himself he was going to ask Tiamat before coming here. But he didn't. He forgot.

"I'm going to meet some people who knew Ddraig," he chose to say instead. "With Tiamat. This might be my only chance to learn more about him. I can't miss this opportunity."

She nodded once, still trying to recollect her thoughts and emotions from the misunderstanding. "I see. That is rather important. Alright. Is anyone going with you?"

He shook his head, "No. It's just Tiamat and I. Um… Rias. I didn't just come here to tell you. I wanted to make sure… everything was okay before I go. Everything between… us."

"Us…" she repeated, looking away from him for an instant.

That one instant made his heart ache.

"Rias, I love you."

Her eyes went back to his. Love was in her gaze and it fluttered in her heart. But swirling within, contaminating her feelings, was guilt. Something plagued inside her mind. Something she blamed herself for.

"I always will," he said next, half a step from his last words. "No matter what. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to. I was only—"

She didn't let him finish. She came to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. Surprise came to him and he almost didn't know what to do. But he recovered. He pulled her in closer and returned her kiss with his own.

She pulled away from him, cupping her hands around his face and staring straight at him. Absolute love was in her gaze. But her eyes were watering with tears threatening to fall.

"Rias… please talk to me," he whispered back to her.

She gave him a very sad smile, "I love you too, Ise. And I always will. No matter what. No matter what…"

That last part… she had said it in a way to convince herself. To build a wall for something she knew would come. To protect herself against something she couldn't fight against.

It made him worry for her all the more.

"Not now," she said to him before he could speak. "I don't want you to worry about it while you're away. When you get back, I'll tell you everything. I promise."

"…Why can't you tell me now?"

She looked away from him. Her hands fell to rest on his shoulders. He wouldn't let go of her. If anything, he held her a little tighter.

She rested her head against his chest and stayed like that, breathing in his presence just as he was doing with her.

"It hurts," she admitted with a shaking voice. "I'm so angry at myself for making such a mistake. I should have been more careful. I shouldn't have tried to fight them."

"Rias… You made it all out. You did what you had to. Is it because you were hurt? Because Asia was cursed? Because Amy died…?"

He wanted to comfort her but didn't know how. He didn't know why she was being like this. She wasn't opening up to him. She was keeping it to herself for reasons he didn't understand.

She went still, resting on his chest a bit longer in silence.

"I'll tell you when you get back," she said quietly. "It's important Ise, but it can wait. I'm not mad at you at all. Don't worry about it. Just… come back safe. And be on your best behavior. You're still my servant. It's your duty to preserve the Gremory name."

There was a bit of dry humor in her voice.

"I'm worried about _you_ Rias," he said as he moved a hand from her waist to her head. He stroked her hair idly. "This isn't like you. Please tell me what's wrong."

"You worry too much," she said and pushed herself away. He almost fought to keep her from moving. But his arms fell limp. She smiled at him. "I'm fine. I'm a King, after all. I have to be. When are you leaving? I'll see you out before you go."

He looked at her, wanting to push the issue. But… the look in her eyes told him it wasn't a good idea. She wasn't going to budge and he would break something if he tried. Maybe… maybe it was best if he dropped the subject for another time. Maybe this trip was a good idea. They would have space to clear their heads and talk things through later.

"I just need to pack my things," he answered her. "Tiamat is waiting for me in the foyer. I only have a few more minutes left. I'm technically being kidnapped."

She gave him another smile. "I'll wait for you there then. Don't take too long. I'd like at least a few more minutes with you before she drags you away."

0-0-0

"You called that one _sister_ ," was the first thing Tiamat said as soon as they stepped out of the Dragon Gate. She didn't have anything on her person.

Issei, meanwhile, was a little distracted with the sights. He was supposed to visit Kyoto on a field trip later in the year. But… the school was shut down until repairs could be made. Plus, he had been expelled for destroying school property. He threw Sona's desk aside when she refused to acknowledge his presence that one time.

This wasn't the part of Kyoto that was public to the unsuspecting populace. What they stepped into was a whole other world. It felt like he had gone back in time during the Waring States. The architecture was old but looked like they had been built recently. Powerful and thick traces of magic flooded his senses all around him.

They were inside a palace within a secret kingdom. The outer walls led up to a whole city hidden away, exclusively for the Youkai civilization. But here, behind the walls they stood, held their nobility, the shrines to the Shinto Gods, and the Youkai Matriarch.

It was also going to be housing guests while a grand meeting of sorts was underway.

"Akeno-neesan?" he said to her while taking in the view of the walkway. The gardens here were beautiful. "What about her?"

"She is not your sister," disdain oozed out of her voice. "I am, Ddraig. Or has your illness also robbed you of your sanity?"

"I look up to her," he defended with a bit of irritation on his own part. "That's why I call her that. And, look, I'm not Ddraig. Least I'm not _your_ Ddraig. I was always Issei before I was Ddraig."

"Either way she is not your real sister," Tiamat argued as they walked forward.

"Leave her alone. You're just mad at her because I won't call you that."

She almost stopped walking. A cold ferocity flashed through her before it was quelled all within a single breath. "Whatever you call me doesn't matter. I am your sister. No one else."

Issei chose to not say anything else. He fixed the strap of his gym bag over his shoulder and pressed forward beside her.

The large doors were already open. Servants were at the ready to greet them. They took what things the two of them had and said they would be placed in their rooms. They also asked if either of them would like to freshen up or change their clothes before entering the main hall. There was a changing room with clothes to choose from at the side; plus there were tailors and maids at the ready in case something needed to be altered… or made on the spot.

He hesitated about letting them take his bag. Inside held the package Rias had told him about; a delivery sent by Predator Lolifor. He didn't have the time to open it before Tiamat hurled him through the Gate. All he could do was stuff it in the bag.

He should mention none of the maids were hot. Not one. Why? Because they all had the faces of animals. There was a Nekomata, kinda like Koneko, but with a cat face. Like, seriously?! What the hell is up with that?! Why couldn't she have just the ears and a tail like Koneko-chan?! Was it because Koneko was a rare breed, a Nekoshou, that she was cute?!

"We are fine," Tiamat brushed them off.

He felt underdressed, really. He didn't know what to expect but he did try to dress somewhat decently. He was in semi-formal designer clothes that Rias had stuffed in his closet. Had he known he was going to wind up in a palace like this then he would have dressed in a suit.

Then again, Tiamat was in a blue blouse, a long white skirt, and a black belt that virtually had no point in being there. If she was wearing something like this then he had no reason to complain.

He also made sure not to touch anything as he followed her. Everything around him looked like a treasure dating back several centuries ago. And he thought the things in his new house were expensive…

Before stepping into the main hall, which was ideally a _massive_ room that made his room spin, an elderly looking man gazed at them from head to toe. He was dressed in a pressed suit instead of traditional Japanese attire. His hair was black, combed back, and greased enough to reflect the lanterns hanging above.

"Tiamat," he greeted with a small nod. His voice was raspy with age despite his appearance. His eyes flicked to Issei next. "…Is that you, Ddraig? You seem… different."

"Um… hi?" Issei lifted a hand to give a single wave.

"Izanagi," Tiamat returned the greeting. "One of your character shouldn't be holding the door open. What would the mundane say if they were to see an Ultimate-class God acting as a servant?"

He grimaced, "Alas, this is a gathering for our kind. The servants of the mundane cannot tell us apart. I've taken it upon myself to recognize and announce."

Izanagi? As in the Japanese God of Creation?! _That_ Izanagi?!

He was also one of these super aliens?! And… acting as an usher?

"Wait here," he said to them and stepped through the open doors. A magnificent spear flashed, suddenly appearing in his grip. It had to be the spear that created Japan from legend!

He thumped the butt of it against the stairwell. It made a loud clanging noise that grew attention.

He was using it as a knocker?!

"PRESENTING!" his voice boomed throughout the chamber. "[TWILIGHT]! AND [POTENTIAL]!"

He felt extremely conscious about his appearance the moment he stepped inside. Heads turned, breaking away from conversation to gaze up at him. He fought against his nerves to not swallow his spit. He held his head up high as he stood beside Tiamat.

He felt the gaze of lesser eyes. The eyes of those he knew by the World could never hope to touch him. They were the eyes of those who lived her naturally. They were a part of the World's system and he was a Predator. He stood above them as an Ultimate Killer.

And then… there were the several dozen pairs of eyes from those who were beyond him. They were ancient, raw, primeval, and deceptive. They wore the masks that was their identity. But behind those masks, much like the one [Twilight] wore called Tiamat, was a force of incomprehensible power. Something above the World's system. Something that outranked him as the _highest_ thing belonging to this World.

Each of these eyes stared up at him. They muttered things to another while they watched him stand there frozen in place.

He realized he was outclassed. So many of these beings were in the vicinity. He imagined a group of five— ten at most. Instead, there were several dozen of these aliens like Tiamat. If any of them were just like her, if any of them took of their masks and transformed into their real forms, he wouldn't have a way to defend himself.

He, a Predator, found himself backed into a corner.

It was because he was frightened did he step forward. Here it was; here was what he had been looking for. He had always been wanting to find a way to overcome his limitations since his fight with Tiamat. She claimed he had similar power in him. What better way to learn about it than meeting with those who shared it?

"Ddraig," someone greeted as soon as he hit the bottom step. A withered man with tanned skin and robes. He smiled, gave a formal nod of respect, and returned to his conversation with someone in a toga. That man also nodded with a glint of respect in his eyes.

He nodded back but didn't call them by their names. He didn't know who they were.

"Ddraig, welcome back," greeted another. A pretty lady with hair of leaves and flowers. Her dress made him drool. It was _nothing_ but woven grass and spider silk. So much skin was being bared.

Tiamat grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him deeper into the room.

"Ddraig!"

"Ddraig."

"Welsh Dragon!"

"Ddraig!"

"Red One!"

"Hey, if it isn't the Red Blur!"

…That last greeting created a chorus of laughter. It was all goodhearted though. But he hung his head with embarrassment.

He noticed no one was greeting Tiamat, however.

"Hello, Dragoon Predator."

It was as though a taboo had been breached. Issei felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. The voice that had spoken next sounded like it didn't belong in this realm. It didn't sound like something the voice of the living should make. It made his skin crawl just hearing about it.

"Hades," Tiamat's breath was cold as she hissed. "Mind yourself."

The one who spoke was hardly human. It was a large skeleton cloaked in black priestly garments. Gold thread embroidered his robes in Greek swirls.

Standing behind him were a series of figures in black cloaks and skull masks. Something about the cloaks they wore hid Issei's senses from detecting them. The World couldn't access who they were. There were a dozen of them overall; mostly men with some women.

…He didn't like the way they were looking at him. Their eyes were lifeless. They were as still as statues. No, even statues had more life than them. They were simply… there.

He especially didn't like the two in the far back. Two of the figures were bound tight by chains. But not chains of metal or energy. Issei could have sworn they were comprised of _words._ The same words that had threaded Tiamat's transformation into [Twilight]. They clung around the two so tight they couldn't move, period.

"Am I the only one who recognizes him for what he is?" the skeleton at the front said. His jaw hung open as a terrible noise came out from the darkness within. "Isn't that right, Dragoon Predator? At last we finally meet. Do you know who I am?"

…Do you know who I am? Simply hearing that from this… thing made Issei's skin crawl once more. There was a hidden meaning in that question.

"I heard Hades," Issei answered. "As in Lord of the Dead from the Greek Pantheon?"

"Very much so," replied Hades. "You frustrate me, Ddraig. I take my job very seriously. So upon the day you finally perish and your soul promised to me, I was robbed. You became a Devil. Have you any idea how much paperwork that creates?"

"He is one of us, [Chronicle]," Tiamat stepped up. "He would have returned to his Law. Do not jest about the matters of your character."

"Hmph," Hades snorted. "So you say. Ddraig, I must apologize. I did not call you out simply to pester you about my business affairs. I would also like to reward you. You've delivered me… many valuable souls. You take this game as Predator seriously. It's almost as though that's all you know…

"How shall I repay you?" he waved a hand to dismiss his previous comment. "Something of equal worth? Something belonging to this World? Another game piece or token, perhaps?"

For a moment… Issei didn't know what to say.

"You mean… Can you… Can you revive the dead?"

"…If that is what you wish," Hades said almost begrudgingly. "I have a strict policy about death. I typically deploy my Reapers to harvest souls and punish those who try to rob from me. But… it is not stealing if I am giving. Very well, very well. Whose soul do you wish for me to return?"

"A-Amelia Rosewood!" he blurted out without hesitation.

Hades didn't move. He did not say anything for a long time.

"You take this game _too_ seriously," he said at last. "I understand why you would request another Predator. Alas, there is no Amelia Rosewood. The Divine Beast vanquished herself. There is nothing left for me to return to you."

Something deep within Issei dropped. He had… grabbed onto this hope too quickly. Too strongly. He put too much faith in this wish. And, this tiny thread he tried to climb, had snapped on him.

Amelia… really was gone.

"…Then," he took a gulp of air to recover. Someone. He had to revive _someone._

…His parents. He could have his parents back. They would be back! With him. They would be back _with him._ He could see them again. Talk to them. Show them his new house, have his mother's cooking, ask his father for advice…

But… no, something was telling him that wasn't right. Something in his heart was telling him it wouldn't be the same. Too much had changed. He was older now. They had been dead for too long. How would they manage in this world of Predators?

His mind found an alternative. He couldn't say how he came to this conclusion. But it felt right.

"Can you… bring back… the peerage of Sona Sitri?"

It was his fault they were dead. It wasn't Sona's fault. It wasn't their fault. The brothers had appeared at Kuoh because _he_ had killed the Vampire. They were only seeking revenge. And others had been caught in the affair through sheer affiliation.

"…Too seriously," repeated Hades, this time a bit disappointed. "You listen too much to the World. You do not realize your actions are not your own. What a fool you've become, Ddraig."

Issei blinked at him.

"So be it," Hades waved his hand again. "Once this _festival_ is over and I am back in the Underworld will I grant your wish. All of the recent deaths belonging to the Devil named Sona Sitri shall be returned."

"Exactly how long will that take?" he asked on bated breath.

"Sunday," he answered, his voice crisp and businesslike. "Before midnight. Do not press me, Ddraig. This is out of honor, not obligation."

"T-Thank you!" Issei said anyways and moved to bow.

Tiamat stopped him. Her eyes glared with a warning.

Hades studied him before snorting again, "You've lost your mind, Ddraig. One must never bow to those below their station. Or… did you forget?"

There it was again. There was something underlined in this tone. A secret intention; an accusation. An inquisition, more like. Hades was trying to prod at him for a secret that would prove to be… disastrous.

"PRESENTING!" the booming voice of Izanagi overpowered their conversation. "PLANETARY REPRESENTATIVE MARS! AND HIS VALKYRIE!"

"You mean his _owner_!" someone, the same voice who called him the Red Blur, shouted.

It got the same chorus of laughter out of it.

There were three people up at the stairs. Two of them he recognized through reputation alone. They were two members of the Knight of the Round, based on the pressed uniforms that worked as both a coat of arms as well as battle armor he had seen Morgan and Lancelet wear. They were two woman; one stood tall with her hands behind her back while the other kept her hands on her hips. Both looked ready to throw down at the first sign of trouble.

The third figure was a young lady a year, maybe two, younger than he. She had long black hair that fell to the small of her back, almond skin, and eyes as red as Martian soil. She was exactly as tall as him with a slender and cut frame, long legs with milky thighs flashing in cut jean shorts, a tiny exposed waist and perky breasts against a shirt that was two sizes too small (or purposely made that way).

But, uh, seriously, those breasts of hers. They weren't big. Not in the slightest. They were rather modest. But… the shape of them and the way they lifted her shirt made them look like… wow. Just wow. He didn't think breasts could ever look like that. And he was a breast connoisseur!

There was a sword strapped to her waist. A simple straight sword. Except its blade was made out of a naturally colored red metal. And… it resonated authority that made him want to bow his head in respect. No necessarily a potent power that he could measure. But something purely conceptual— an idea at best— that made him realize (without fully understanding) it was something above him in the same distance an ant was to the vastness of the universe.

As he gazed at this person at the front, their eyes had met. She had noticed him immediately as soon as he gazed upon her. The World had told her. And it rebounded the information back to him as soon as she noticed his attention. They both resonated as soon as their eyes met in ways only Predators could.

She was also a Predator— he blinked at that.

She was Xi'Lon Li Qin.

Her eyes lit up like the first rays of daybreak. A smile, an innocent smile full of wonder, delight, excitement, and euphoria, spread across her face. It knocked the wind out of him with how it made her appear more beautiful than what should have been humanly possible.

"Puppy!" she shouted with a childish squeal. She even leapt up and down with joy.

…It did marvelous things to her breasts.

The World told him something. But he didn't have the time to react to it.

In the next instant, before he could do anything, she had crossed the distance and threw her arms around his waist. She pressed her head against him as she threw her entire weight upon him in a tackle. He staggered back by the sudden force. She was strong; strong enough to make him feel the impact with his draconian endurance. And her speed had her blinking from reality to his position. It was equally as impossibly fast as his Gift of Flight.

Li Qin laughed merrily as she embraced him. "Neh, Puppy, I'm so happy to see you! What're you doing here? Mars made me come here and I wasn't too happy but I'm glad he convinced me because you're here now!"

He had conflicting feelings about her.

For one, they had never met before. He only heard rumors about the Valkyrie Predator. And yet she was clinging onto him and giving him a nickname as though they had known each other forever.

…He _really_ hoped she was another childhood friend he had forgotten.

But the other thing he was feeling was wonderment. When she pressed herself against him, he could feel her breasts push up against his chest. It sent electricity through his spine and his vision white out. There was something mystical about her breasts. For, while they weren't big, simply touching them through the two layers of fabric flooded his senses forcibly. As though a spell he had no resistance to was striking at his heart direct.

He also said two pieces of fabric for a reason: his shirt and hers.

Li Qin wasn't wearing a bra.

But the _final_ piece of emotion he was going through was guilt. It had nothing to do with being aroused by the appearance of a new girl. The idea of going against his word and adding a new girl to the harem never crossed his mind. Not at all.

He was feeling guilt because of this aura that surrounded the Valkyrie Predator. He could taste it. He could reach out for it and grasp it between his fingers. And he knew if he so much as tried to listen to his urges would he somehow find himself sitting in a jail cell.

Everything about Li Qin screamed innocence. As though she were a child. The sort where he needed a cold shower to wash away his impure thoughts about her. He felt the need to scrub out his eyes for looking at her as a woman.

He had no idea what to do with his hands. His arms were flexed awkwardly, hanging in open air between returning the embrace or to spread out to avoid temptation. He looked around the room, half to ask for someone to save him and the other half to show he wasn't some pedophile.

It was the strangest thing. She had the smoking hot body of a teenager blessed by the Gods of Debauchery themselves… but the soul of a ten-year-old.

"Ah, yet another of the Ruler's shows up," Hades said with snide. "How embarrassing. To think something like an almighty Original had fallen so low."

The blade at her waist shook. Issei had the strangest impression it was… crying.

"Neh, be nice to Mars," Li Qin spun around and wagged a finger at Hades. "It's not nice to pick on others. Be nice or I'll kill you."

The weather is nice today. Summer vacation is around the corner. The movie last night was interesting.

 _Be nice or I'll kill you._

Somehow, in some way, she had managed to say something so dreadfully serious with such innocence it was equal to the mundane comments used every day.

"Hmm?" Li Qin blinked as she eyed the sword at her waist. "Neh?! What do you mean you won't help me?!"

"The accords," answered Hades. "Your sponsor knows the rules. The moment you try to instigate anything do you become free game against everyone else. Respect the rules, little one. No killing. It's as simple as that."

She glowered at him the way only small children could when told they had to eat their vegetables or no dessert… or the way only Li Qin could.

Her gaze shifted as she eyed Hades, studying him, peering into something within him only she could see. Her pouting became something else as her frown thinned.

"Neh, I don't like you. You've been mean to my husband. You should apologize. Rules or not, I will kill you. I don't need Mars' permission to use his authorities."

The conversations around them stopped as heads turned. It created a rippling effect as others noticed the sudden silence, stopped their conversing, and turned to see what the commotion was about. The center became a staring contest between Hades and Li Qin. His face was a blank, void of any emotion as he gave her a flat look through the slits that should house eyes.

Li Qin stared back, unchallenged by tension she had created. Her hand was coiled on the pummel of her sword.

"Hmph," the sneer could be heard in his voice. "You spoil the reputation of your… husband. But, very well."

He turned suddenly to face Issei.

"Ddraig, it appears I must retract a few of my comments. My teasing seems to have upset the young lady. Will you forgive me for my transgressions?"

"…Wait, what?" Issei's brows furrowed until they half-lidded his eyes. "Sure, I could kinda tell you were making fun of me somehow. I don't care much for that. But… husband? I'm not her husband. Why are you apologizing to me?"

It was then the two Knights of the Round reached their group. They didn't say anything, only nodding when he spotted them, and stayed silent as background characters. They were waiting for the right moment to approach the one they had entered with, Li Qin.

Hades let out a wallowing, dry moan that could have been a sigh of contempt.

"…Puppy is my husband," Li Qin responded as though it were as clear as day and questioning why he hadn't known this.

He pointed at himself for clarification. She nodded.

"I can't be your husband!" he flipped. "I hardly know you! This is the first time we've ever met!"

"Yup!" she cheeped. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time since you bashed the brains of the Obsidian Heavenly Dragon!"

"Obsidian Heavenly Dragon…?" his brows scrunched while he scratched his cheek. He thought there were only two Heavenly Dragons, Ddraig and Albion. But… he recalled… _someone_ (he couldn't remember who) talking about a _Green_ Heavenly Dragon.

"Oh! Thank you Mars!" Li Qin said suddenly after her sword twitched. "San Mi. It was sealed away in the mountains when you showed up. That was…" she tapped her chin cutely while looking up in recollection, "almost a year ago. Back when you were still the Red Blur."

Now he remembered. It was a Chinese Dragon that had caused a volcanic eruption, having been sealed away for a long time in a mountain and was rampaging as soon as it awoke. He came by, bashed his brains in, as she said, and put it back to sleep. He also made sure to seal the top of the mountain back up and buried it in the rubble.

She had seen it? That was one of those battles hardly anyone knew. At least the only person he told had been Sona. Even Sunlight Studios didn't animate that fight in their atrocious anime.

"Well, you seem to be reacquainting," Hades commented. "If you will excuse me then. I've others to converse with before—"

"Most Inglorious Lord!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Shit!" Hades swore as his body went rigid. "She's back already?! That's impossible! I gave her an impossible task! Ddraig, I will owe you. You didn't see me!"

Issei didn't have a moment to comment as Hades turned quickly and started to usher his goons further into the room. They moved upon his silent command, but not quick enough. He pushed against their backs to make them hurry, groaning and cursing at their inadequacy in being too slow. In a matter of seconds they were lost to the sea of people.

"Most Inglorious Lord!" called out a young voice as she approached the group. It was a little girl eight or nine years old with white hair. She wore the same black robes as Hade's mooks but her skull mask hung around her neck instead. "Most Inglorious Lord! Where did you go? I found the super-duper exclusive omega-level rare Red Blur husbando like you asked!"

A bit of blood slipped out of his lips as something in his brain _snapped._

She carried in her arms a hug pillow. But painted on both sides wasn't the image of the Red Blur figure (which was a frighteningly detailed rendition of his Scale Mail armor). It was _him._ Him, Hyoudou Issei, without his armor. In nothing but his boxers.

What broke him were two things. For one, the picture had been able to show the scars he had accumulated over the years. Whoever made this pillow knew his body from head to toe.

The second thing that broke him was… the face. While it was his face, it also wasn't. Whoever made the pillow had decided he wasn't handsome enough and gave it a few tweaks here and there. What came out of it was a rather dashing Issei.

"I scoured all of Kyoto for it!" she went on, looking around for whoever it was she searched for. Hades, most likely, who ran off as soon as he heard her voice. "Can you believe it was the last one in stock?! I made the guy look through the storage twice! Most Inglorious Lord! Where did you go…?"

"…I… I… want it…" Li Qin said with eyes as wide as saucers… and a bit of blood drooping down her nose.

A low growl came from Tiamat. Her eyes were full of hunger at the sight of the hug pillow. A deep flush started to sprout from her cheeks.

"Y-Y-YOU!" Issei shouted. "Where did you get that?!"

The little girl looked up at him. She blinked a few times until something clicked inside her mind. She lifted the pillow in front of her, gazed at it, gazed at him, at it, at him, back and forth.

"You look a lot like this guy…" she commented.

"That's because it's me!" he argued.

"Pfft," she snickered with eyes full of judgment. "I'm sure you are. What are you, five? Everyone knows the Red Blur is an anime character. Or are you one of those otaku who like to cosplay. This isn't one of those types of conventions, weabu."

He looked at her incredulously.

The sword at Li Qin's side shook.

The little girl blinked again and faced Li Qin. Her expression shifted to one of coy. "Oh. Hello there, nii-chan. I'm so glad to see you like— pfffffffffft."

…She couldn't hold in her laughter at the last instant. Though she tried by pressing a hand to her lips.

The sword shook a little more violently.

"T-That's not fair!" the girl shouted with a heated face. "At least I have a respectable job! I am the personal secretary to the Primordial Law of [Chronicle], a Universal-type Primordial Lawmaker. What about you? You were _bought_ by a mundane girl. Who's crying now?!"

"You were not announced just now," Tiamat stepped in while the sword twitched. It was jerking the same way when Issei thought it was crying. And perhaps it was. "Who are you?"

The girl gave her a smirk as she placed a hand on her hip and the pillow under her arm. "That's because I was already here earlier. The Primordial Law of [Alteration] doesn't like to repeat himself, it seems.

"Behold!" she said boldly. "I am the Lord of All Things Mischief, Ambassador to the Abyss, Underlord that caused the Approaching End, the Seeker of Destruction, the—"

"She's not even a planet!" the same guy from before shouted somewhere in the back.

And, like before, the people who had heard him and her self-introduction burst into laughter.

The little girl squatted and hug the pillow tightly. She was on the verge of tears.

"Oh!" Li Qin perked with an epiphany. "So _you're_ Pluto!"

"I am the Planetary Representative _Pluto_ ," the little girl snapped the correction as if it mattered. To her it did. Issei couldn't tell the difference nor did he know what they were. "An Original! Original! I am a breed above these Primordial Lawmakers! I decide what it means to exist! _They_ define what I have created. I am the dictionary. They are the definitions! I—"

"She doesn't even go here!" the guy shouted a little louder.

Issei… didn't get the reference. But everyone else did. Laughter was made. And Pluto looked horror-stricken.

"Pluto-chan," a dry voice broke through the crowds. She squeezed through a group, looked around, and spotted the… Original. She was dressed in the same black robes, but her hood was withdrawn. She did wear her white mask, however. Her eyes were silver and locked in a permanent dead stare.

Her hair was silver. She had the wiry thin frame of a little girl who had grown too tall too young. It made her look a few years older. And her voice…

He recognized that voice.

It twisted against his soul.

"Sherry," he called out to her.

Her head snapped up instantly. Those silver eyes widened as though her entire world had been rattled. She stood there, frozen. As frozen as a small creature would against a predator.

Her hands twitched. Her fingers curled painfully on their own into tight fists. It happened until her knuckles turned white. Her fists shook with the amount of pressure she was putting into them.

Her eyes remained wide. But instead of tantalizing shock was her expression replaced with… anger. Blinding rage.

She stepped forward, completely forgetting her place or why she was looking for the Original sobbing on the floor.

He didn't need to listen to the World to know she was going to hit him. Just like the first time they met when Lancelet and Morgan brought her to him. She was going to do it again.

He decided to let her. And when she would hurt herself would she calm down enough for him to reach her. He would reach for her. He would pull her in and hold her close. He would never let her go.

She reeled her leg back, readying herself to kick him in the shin with everything she had. She was going to punt him across a field goal if he allowed it.

He did.

…And regretted it.

"YEEEOOOOOOOOW!" he howled more out of surprise than pain.

Oh, the pain was very much real. It felt like someone had kicked him in the shin with everything they had, as it should. But something like that could have _only_ belonged to someone on equal terms with him. His draconian resistance should have her reeling in pain from the rebound force.

Disappointment flashed in her eyes. She had calmed down somewhat due to her strike. But it hadn't been enough to quell the hatred she had for him. The kick hadn't satisfied her. She wanted to make him suffer.

"Wait, stop," he hissed out between the sharp pain.

He had a hand on Li Qin's shoulder. She was halfway from withdrawing her sword and about to take a step forward until he stopped her. Her eyes were full of annoyance. Not for him, but because this little girl had hurt her nominated husband.

"That wasn't nice," she grounded out. "Say you're sorry."

Sherry's response was to spit in his general direction. His instincts flared at him as he took a half-leap away. Her spit had almost touched the tip of his shoe. It didn't burn through the floor like acid like he had expected. But… it felt like he would be in a whole new level of pain if it had landed.

She said nothing to him. Her eyes were full of contempt as she turned swiftly and pushed herself through the crowds.

"Ayame! Wait!"

She stopped. Her entire body went stiff.

Her body shook. Slowly, so slow it was as if she was forcing herself to turn around against an invisible force, she faced him.

Her eyes were red with tears threatening to fall.

"Do not call me that," her voice was seething with hatred. " _You_ abandoned _me._ "

She fled from him, pushing through the crowds, not caring if she bumped into anyone else.

"Eh! Sherry-chan! Wait up!" Pluto stood quickly and followed.

"You have such a way with women…" Tiamat's voice was as cold as her house.

"I don't like her…" grumbled Li Qin as she tightened her grip on her sword.

"Lady Xi'Long," one of the Knights of the Round stepped forward and whispered into her ear. "Perhaps it is not wise to start a fight here. Your… husband might not take it too well."

She glowered for a moment, chanced a glance his way, and resigned her previous fortitude with a slight blush. She tucked the sword back through her belt. It didn't stop her from grumbling something below her breath while kicking at the ground.

Issei rolled up his pant leg. A nasty bruise was starting to form where his sister had kicked him. It really was as if he was human again and she had kicked him with everything she had. The World hadn't warned him. It had to be because of the cloak she wore. But… how did she get through his draconian resistance?

There were three knocks from the stairs. It wasn't a different rhythm from any other time Issei had heard it. But… somehow, the pressure in the room shifted. _Everyone_ went silent as they sensed it as well.

"Presenting…" Izanagi's voice was lowered. He didn't need any mysticism or shouting to be heard. The room was deadly silent. "Queen of Ancients Greater than Man, [Nothing]. And [Entropy]."

Two figures stood at the top of the stairs. The first he recognized immediately. It was the silver-haired guy he had wrecked on the same night he fought the Vampire. It was the White Chaser, or, the White Dragon Emperor. He was the vessel who held the Divine Dividing Sacred Gear.

…Come to think about it… did Issei ever get his name?

The other figure was yet another little girl. She couldn't have been any older than ten. She had long black hair that fell down her back, gray timeless eyes as empty as the grand nothingness that made up the Dimensional Gap, and perfectly smooth alabaster skin. Her entire presence screamed Dragon.

The thing kept in his stomach twitched, uncoiling itself as it recognized the signature that had entered the room. It was the same as hers. The thing that had brought him back from the dead was hers.

His Gift of Seduction twitched as well, stronger than it had when he had first met Tiamat. It _demanded_ to be activated. He had to look away from her in order to keep it in its standby mode.

"The Queen," he heard someone whisper. It was full of awe, respect… and pity.

"The Queen."

"The Queen!"

"…The Queen."

"Isn't that the White Cha—"

…The guy who cracked jokes was silenced. The sound of a bottle breaking cut off his voice.

She moved down the steps. Her face as blank as a doll's. No, less than a doll. Less than a statue. Less than the emptiness of Hade's hooded goons. She was completely blank. Less than a white slab. Less than colorless glass.

She was a living embodiment of nothing.

The crowds parted as she walked in a straight line. Her eyes stared forward, almost as if she didn't notice anyone around her. The White Dragon Emperor followed in her shadow with a confident stride and hands in his pockets.

Her eyes had been locked on Issei's since the very beginning. No, he felt; they had been locked on him _before_ she even arrived. It was as though her journey from wherever she came had been for the sake of meeting him.

"Ophis…" whispered Tiamat in a low voice. But a voice filled with begrudging admittance to a superior. Someone she had to bow to and didn't like it.

Even Li Qin took a step back, her face breaking into a cold sweat. She was feeling fear in the same way a child would when seeing the darkness of their closet.

Issei couldn't deny this creature, Ophis, was the literal monster hiding in the closet.

She stopped a few paces away from him. All eyes were locked on her. The room as silent as the void of space.

"Hello, Red Blur," she said in a monotone voice empty of any emotion.

…But she hadn't called him either Ddraig or his freaky alien Primordial whatever it was name. Or even his actual name, Issei. She had called him… the Red Blur.

"I, am a fan of yours," she said simply.

When next he blinked… she wasn't wearing the scandalously revealing gothic Lolita dress. She was wearing, of all things, the Red Blur hoodie. A red cotton zip-up jacket with printed scales and gems in likeness to his armor. The hood also acted as a mask; when pulled over, two flaps made of green netting acted as eyes. And at the neck of it was a braided strand in likeness of his tail.

"May I, join your company?" she asked in the same empty tone.

"Uhhhhhhhh…" his brain was too dead from so many sensations to act functionally. "Sure?"

She did not smile up at him. Her expression never changed. Yet he felt something akin to a radio signal burst out of her… something so low he had to second-guess himself. If anything, he would say she was delighted about the acceptance. But he could have been imagining things.

She said nothing. She did not move. She only continued to stare up at him. Not in expectance. But… as though to simply watch him. Not to study. Just… watch.

0-0-0

"Red!" they cheered as soon as he walked in.

Red, they called him. It was an adequate enough name. They called him Red because of his appearance. He was a man of lean yet powerful build with a wild mane of red hair, piercing red eyes, and always dressed in red leathers. Such as his biker jacket and boots.

The belt was also red. Having been recently made out of the carcass of a named Dragon he didn't give a fuck to hear what it was. That one was the fool who challenged him and lost.

In truth, Red didn't have a name. Others gave him the name. Red was so simple. And accurate. They didn't know how accurate.

Red was nothing more than a Dream, made by the Dream, for this Dream. He was an avatar of his… _great_ self. He was nothing more than a phantom while his true self slumbered.

Yet, he was the baddest mother fucker in the goddamn neighborhood.

He stormed through the bar as though he owned it. The wild bunch of drunkards had been wary of him when he first showed up a few days ago. But after sharing a few drinks, getting into a few brawls, and riding with them, he had gained their respect. He was their unofficial pack leader. Their alpha. Their actual leader had to accept who was top dog after beating him at racing, drinking, and fists.

"Get the man a drink!" one of the bikers said to the bartender.

The mug was already filled before the sentence was finished.

Red couldn't understand humans. He couldn't comprehend their language, their customs, their civilization as a whole, or their concepts. They were so far beneath him, so strange in their actions, they weren't worth his time. Taking their form hadn't changed a thing. So far, the only thing he could understand from them were their base needs.

Eat, fuck, fight, and sleep.

He had no problem relishing in any of these actions. And, repeatedly, he proved he was the best at all of them.

He had a reputation to hold up after all.

Since the dawn of the Dream had he taken the Dimensional Gap as his home. He ignored those who dwelled in the Worlds. They were nothing to him. And he crushed anyone who dared to invade _his_ territory with unrelenting brutality.

…Until one such challenger came along to deliver a scar on his invincible hide.

Not only had the shit sucker-punched him, but the fuck pussed out and fled like a bitch. And come to his surprise after learning the identity of his assaulter did he find the thing had been sealed away. But what _really_ pissed him off was how the seal was made. It wasn't just a simple vault he could blast open. No, it was a series of locks that needed to be destroyed. Even his great self in all his glory couldn't achieve it through brute force.

That wasn't until Sinner came to him with a proposal. And it was [Nothing] who showed him how to take a human form like herself.

It was annoying. He was tired of getting pissed off. He wanted his revenge and show the Triangular Beast who was the boss. What did he care if their battle destroyed all Dreams? This was personal.

But it was taking too long. He was growing impatient having to search for the Heavenly Father's seals and breaking them _one at a fucking time._

Not to mention those fucktard Predators kept getting in his way. They weren't a threat to him at all. But they kept changing the platform enough for him to lose track of a few seals, making his search for them even more aggravating.

So here he was in Kyoto.

Sinner had promised him something. His belly itched with eagerness. He had been aware of the gathering of his brothers and sisters. But, really, fuck politics. What did he need to talk about them for? _He_ was the Law. Yet, he couldn't ignore their presence. He had never seen such a collective gathering of his kind before. Maybe, just maybe, he would find something to satiate his hunger.

"Red! Wait!"

He stopped. Hours had passed in the blink of an eye. He was already mounting his bike when a human woman ran out of the bar with something in her arms.

His eyes flicked over her shoulders. The human men were peeking through the windows and through the cracks of the door. They all hid as soon as he spotted them… and then reemerged seconds later.

"T-This…" she said while lifting it towards him. He could smell the pheromones being released through her body as her heart accelerated. "This is from me!"

In her hands was… a helmet. A _red_ helmet. With ink details in the head of a dragon.

His lips curled up in a grin. He flashed his fangs at the sight of it.

It was bitchin'.

"You don't have a helmet," she said quickly. "It's not safe. So please, take this!"

He did take it. Not because he needed something as pointless as a helmet. If he got into any collision, the thing he crashed into would break first. He took it because it was awesome.

Plus, the woman seemed to appreciate it. He might come back to claim her.

He revved the Harley Davidson, a _beautiful_ piece of metal of human design. And attached to the end of it was the loudest muffler he could acquire. The beast roared loud enough to rattle glass.

He took off, burning rubber and asphalt alike. The metal beast roared as he took to the streets, hogging the road and taking the space for his own.

The streets of Kyoto were _his._

It was great being King!


	12. Shutes and Ladders

**AN: A few things!**

 **1\. No one but me and those down in the Traveler's Roost seem to know what the shit I'm talking about. I will be fixing this. I've provided a lot of exposition for this chapter. It's a bit... and then I realized to myself that there's still more details I left out purposely. I can't just dump everything into one chapter. The rest will come as the story progresses.**

 **2\. This story has become too dependent on OCs. It no longer feels like a DxD story and I agree. I will be fixing this as well and start to lean more heavily on the DxD cast.**

 **There was a third thing but I can't remember. It's like 3 in the morning.**

 **Noob (you know who you are), PM me your 100 point request. I don't want those down in the Roost to know what it is. Not a fan of spoilers.**

 **Last thing, thank you Flux Casey and Chaos (you know who you are) for your input. It helped tremendously.**

 **Now then,**

 **ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

"What happened?" Serafall asked. She squirmed around in her seat until she was comfortable once again.

Rolan stared at her. This had been the third time she moved around like that. He chose to not say anything.

"We got our shit kicked in, that's what," he groaned. "All of us. The Postal Service is out of commission and we've been using the Red Tide mercs to carry out our missions. They're charging us a fuck ton now that they know we're at a low."

"Who's Red Tide again?" she asked. Her voice was distant as though something else was distracting her.

She shifted in her seat again.

"A mercenary corpse and terrorist group, depending on what country you ask," he answered with a bit of impatience. This was something she knew. "They're dirt-bags and a bit battle hungry. They don't need the money to create violence but that doesn't stop them from charging us so much. Archibald and I have deployed them to critical areas to where we believe the Brigade have their hotspots."

"Archibald…?"

He glared at her this time. "Archibald Lolifor. First Predator? Sera, are you even listening to me?"

"I am, I am," she waved him off. "What about the Tepes Faction? Can we still rely on them?"

He threw up his hands, "We? _Rely_ on them?! Sera, the allegiance between the Devils and the Vampires is strictly underground. The only reason why there's a secret alliance in the first place is because of threadwork. I am a neutral character as King Oberon. I have a contract with you Devils. And I am Queen Regent Drea's Commander of Legions. Do you happen to see the miniscule connection there?"

"…Are you done ranting?" she snapped bitterly. "Can you answer my question?"

He looked at her again, studying her features. She looked uncomfortable in her dress suit. The top button had been undone. Her cheeks were flushed and she continued to squirm in her chair.

"They're still having their civil war," Rolan went on after a moment. "But since the attack we've lost three Progenitor-class Vampires. The Brigade's objective wasn't to kill Drea, though not for a lack of trying anyways. The assault against Drea was a distraction. They instead took a Dhamphir, Valerie Tepes. We believe she possessed a Sacred Gear but don't know what sort."

"…But the enemy knew," Serafall concluded.

"They knew," Rolan nodded as he leaned back in his chair. He folded his legs as he looked straight ahead. "This was a coordinated strike. Just about every other Predator was engaged in combat at the exact same time. We lost two of them in Japan against Manuel and Saint Vice. Serene left something for me… but her Creyroux destroyed it before I could retrieve it.

"Sera, the enemy is growing faster than we expected. This is more than Ophis handing out her power to a bunch of mooks. When I was defending the Tepes Palace I was confronted with two impossibilities. A Dragon by the name of Crom Cruach… and a Devil by the name of Rizevim Lucifer."

The name got her attention.

"Rizevim… Lucifer?" she breathed out. She sat up straight. "But… we thought he was dead. He went into hiding as soon as our civil war started. He hasn't been seen since."

Rolan didn't say anything as he tapped a few fingers against his thigh.

"They had something with them that shouldn't be," his voice was grave. "The Mark of Cain. The _real_ Mark of Cain that only the Heavenly Father could craft. The Cain of the Bible can't do that."

"The world is a big place, Obi-tan," she said. "You learn something new every day."

He snorted, "I _know_ he can't do it because I made sure to dump him in the Well. The Warden would have told me if he escaped. There's no chance that _Hero_ will be able to reincarnate down there. The Mark in the Tepes Palace wasn't his doing…

"They called themselves… Hunters," he drawled with narrowed eyes. "Hunters. Capital 'H'. I don't know if it's a calling to the old Hunter Faction from… another time, or if it's supposed to be the antithesis to we Predators. Either way… they had the backing from the World itself.

"It means another Ruler has awakened, Sera. And they're working with the Brigade."

She blinked at him, her attention more focused this time. "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure? Do you know this for a fact? On my perspective, it seems more like the Ruler has chosen to switch sides."

It was Rolan's turn to shift in his seat, "The Ruler would have reworked the Predator system to have us destroy rather than protect—"

She snorted.

"You know what I mean," he snapped. "Or he could have removed the Predator system entirely, leaving us in the dark. Or… you might be right. Dreamers are so unpredictable. If you had the power to do anything and make whatever you dream turn into reality… things tend to get boring very quickly. He could have created this Hunter system to oppose us. Or he could have bet all his chips on the enemy if he thinks we can't defeat them…"

"…There's something you're not telling me," she noticed.

"There's a lot of things I don't tell you," he retorted dryly. "It's not like you're one to talk. Care to explain what this is all about?"

He turned his head to look her way and gesture in her general direction. His eyes moved all over her body, particularly at her rosy face and unkempt dress.

She crossed her legs and folded her arms. Her cheeks puffed out, "I-It's nothing. That's not something you need to worry about."

He stared at her for a bit. He turned back into his seat and cupped his hands together. "Real quick, I'm going to name some people. Tell me if any catch your attention."

She glared at him, "Obi-tan, this isn't the time. I came here to discuss—"

"Sirzechs Lucifer," he began. His eyes glowed as they watched her. "Ajuka Beelzebub. Falbium Asmodeus."

"Obi-tan… I don't know what you're trying to pull but—"

"Issei Hyoudou," he drawled.

The reaction was instantaneous and obvious. Serafall squirmed in her seat as the red in her cheeks lit up a new shade. Her lips quivered once. With a masterful command over her being, she drew back the feelings and set her posture back to what it was before. Her blush faded to a light pink and her breathing resumed.

There was no point in damage control. He had seen her reaction.

"Hold that thought," he said while he pulled out his phone. He tapped a few buttons and put it up to his ear.

"…Who are you calling?" she demanded.

He put up a finger in reply.

A magical sensation tugged at her. Someone was trying to contact her while he was on the phone. She wanted to listen in on his conversation but couldn't ignore the ringing inside her head. Not very many had the means of contacting her like this. Only close family and those who worked with her could reach her like this.

A small magic circle lit up beside her ear as she responded, "Yes?"

 _"I totally called it,"_ came Rolan's voice on the other end.

He put his phone away as the line went dead.

He smirked at her— or at least the closest thing to a smirk that he would allow, which was really no more than a thin line at his lips.

"It's nothing like that," she defended and canceled out the magic.

"Uh huh…" he nodded.

"I'm serious!"

"Oh, sure, sure."

"Obi-tan, Dragoon-chan and I _aren't_ a thing!"

"I didn't say you were."

"You're thinking it."

"Actually, I was thinking about how I was totally right. I told you the Gift of Seduction was a bitch. And you fell for it."

"I haven't seen that except for his Gift of Flight," she crossed her arms and pouted. "Dragoon-chan doesn't trust me enough to even talk to me. I always see him undressing me with his eyes but that's about it! And lately that's been happening less! He and Richie-tan almost fought to the death when Slime-taro tried to eat my clothes! But nooooo. Now he doesn't even look at me!"

"…Slime-taro?" he questioned.

"A slime monster in the Familiar Forest," she answered with a wave of her hand. "It eats clothes. Dragoon-chan and Richie-tan both wanted it as their familiar."

"Sera, if I didn't know any better I would have said you were a high school girl in love."

Her glare turned icy cold. "I am _not_ in love with Dragoon-chan."

"No, you only want him to see you as a woman," his smirk became a bit more obvious. "You only want to get in his pants. That's all."

She squirmed in her seat. She mentally denied it but her body couldn't.

"I'm glad you're happy," he said suddenly. "I haven't seen you like this in a very long time. We need a good laugh every now and then."

"I'm hardly laughing," she countered.

"Maybe not. But you are _happy._ All things considered, anyways. Though, why the sudden interest? You've been single for, oh, a couple centuries. And it's not like he caught your eye as soon as you met him. What secret words did he say to you that countless men have failed to find?"

"It was the Gift of Seduction, like you said."

"Sera, I know all the Gifts inside and out," he drawled again. "I've had a first-hand experience with Seduction from Ophis herself… Let's not talk about that."

He shuddered as soon as he caught what he said. His eyes turned distant with shame and disgust.

Serafall took it as a chance to drop the subject and return to their original purpose. "About the Ruler. I don't think he's switched sides. He seems too invested in current affairs to have gone to the Khaos Brigade."

He quirked a brow at her, "And how would you know that? Did you happen to meet the Ruler or someone claiming to be him or claiming to work for him?"

Her chest tightened as the Predator Knight Piece within her heart thumped.

"Dragoon-chan has gotten in contact with Richard Royals," she explained.

"Oh, so that's who 'Richie-tan' is," he nodded once.

"Yup," she chirped. "And Richie-tan says he's working with the Ruler. I haven't found any reason to doubt him. Unless, of course, Richie-tan is also working for the Brigade."

"No, he wouldn't be," Rolan said instantly. "Donald— Fucking Christ— I mean, _Richard_ is a man so extremely sensitive to the mechanics of the omniverse he works in preserving it even if he doesn't remember anything about it. His father was… someone extremely important. It flows through his blood. Hell, even if he did work for the Brigade he would still be doing everything in his power to preserve the World from collapsing and fight the Abyss."

"What is he?" she asked. "Dragoon-chan and Serene-tan held him up in high regard. And you do too. He's more than just a Lord Archmage, isn't he?"

"He's the son of an Original," Rolan answered. "An Original of the Originals, at that. Trinity King Star."

"…I don't know what that is," she said after a moment.

He shrugged, "I don't expect you to nor do I plan on explaining it all. Even I have difficulty comprehending what it all means. Richard told me before he was Richard, before he was Donald Douglas, before he was any of those identities. He told me these things when I was married long ago."

She always wondered about that. She knew at one point in time he was married. It was before they met. But he never opened up to her about it; nor to anyone else as far as she was aware. It was a topic he coveted.

"Those that assaulted the Tepes Palace," she switched to something else. "The Evil Dragon and descendant of Lucifer. What happened to them?"

He frowned slightly. "They got away. I'd have been able to deal with them normally but those fucking Marks on their heads hindered me. What damage I did to them tripled back to me. I was almost ejected out of the World with how much damage I was taking. Any more and I would have lost my vessel entirely. They knew this. They planned around it. It means someone on the other side knows about my condition. Either Ophis… or this other Ruler."

"You don't think Ophis told them?"

"Ophis has been kept quiet this whole time," he said while leaning his chin onto his knuckles. "She knows more about me than anyone else. I fought her once. She knows what I can and can't do. If she really wanted to get rid of me she would have done it herself or told her minions at the very beginning. Even those kids from the Hero Faction could have circled around me if she told them."

"There's more to the picture then," she said thoughtful. "An angle we can't see. Maybe she changed her mind? Or she had been playing with us all along? Maybe some new variable showed up and she decided to tell them. Such as this new Ruler and his Marks?"

"…Maybe," his eyes narrowed. "Ophis isn't the sort to change her mind on a whim. It would take something incredibly significant to do so. I'd rather not speculate until I learn more about the situation. Right now we need to lick our wounds and regain our forces. Now more than ever do we need to stop fighting amongst ourselves and work together."

"That's almost impossible, Obi-tan," she chided, wagging a finger at him. "Especially when you made so many enemies to get where you are now. Do you think Dragoon-chan will forgive you and follow your lead? You did all sorts of terrible things to him and his friends."

"He doesn't need to forgive me," his voice shifted to something cold and sharp. "He's been following my lead since I found him, whether by his choice or not. And he'll keep doing it until the Evensong.

"We're going to bump up the interview for his Demon Lord status to this coming week. Go through all the official protocols but make sure you approve him. Give him his Evil Pieces. Make his status as Demon Lord official with all the perks, privileges, and responsibilities that come with it. I will then announce the Rating Game between us to the public. Our match will go on as scheduled."

Her body went stiff.

"Obi— Chase, that almost sounds like an order," her voice was sweet but filled with venom.

"It is," his voice, however, matched the deadly presence he was exerting. "I am not asking you. This is something coming out of the mouth of a Predator."

Her stare turned icy as her demonic essence flourished. The air turned cold as her demonic energy clashed against his Aura. His Aura waned.

She blinked at that. While his Aura had been able to keep up against her miasma, it was gradually being torn down. And that was with her current weakness due to the Predator Piece. She couldn't ignore it was bleeding her gradually. But Rolan was a Predator for a reason. His Aura was monstrous and near infinite. So why was it bowing before—

She finally caught it.

"Luscious," her tone was crisp and professional. "Where is Chase?"

She wasn't having a battle of will against Rolan. She was shadow boxing against an illusion— his psyche was being projected through his familiar, Luscious Symphon Melodic, the Air Elemental Effigy.

"You're still talking to me, Sera," Rolan answered.

She sighed and suppressed her miasma. "Fine, fine. _Chase,_ where are you and why aren't you having this conversation with me? We're not even in Japan. The least you could do is respect me and talk to my face."

"I'm a little _busy_ dealing with the Brigade," he snapped with a sneer. "Sera, I love you very much, but there are times when even I can't be there in person for you."

"You didn't answer my question. Where are you?"

"None of your business, _mother,_ " he grumbled. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"Are you kicking me out already?" she fake whined. "But Obi-tan, I just got here. You could at least treat me to some tea and snacks."

"I'm American," he grumbled and crossed his arms. "We drink beer. Or haven't you heard?"

Though, he waved an arm. Through the power of his familiar did he conjure a confection of drinks and snacks. Bottled and canned sodas, teas, and coffees along with some candies, cookies, and dried fruits.

"You never did share with me your big evil plan for the Rating Game," she started up again while reaching for a canned tea. She popped it open and took a greedy drink of it. The cold liquid felt soothing to her burning insides.

"I did," he countered. He didn't reach for anything. "You just forgot."

"All you said was it was going to draw in the enemy," she retorted. "Two Predators fighting against the other, being weakened by each other. You _think_ that's when they'll attack. What makes you so sure it'll work."

"The fact simpletons like Katerea Leviathan made contact with me," he supplied. He enjoyed watching her spurt out some of her tea. "They don't know I'm a Predator but they're aware of my upcoming Rating Game against Hyoudou. They're planning on supporting me as King Oberon. Would you like me to tell you all the things they want me to take a part of in their quest to cleanse the Devils of their corrupted breeding?"

Katerea Leviathan was one of the exiled Devils who lost in the Civil War. While there was no proof, they all knew she was a part of the Khaos Brigade. Her and her compatriots had formed together the Old Satan Faction from the remains of their banished army and a few followers of the old ways. Their reach even held influence in today's Devil society.

She was reaching out to King Oberon of the Fae for support? Hilarious.

"So said the spider to the fly," she muttered to herself. "Go on, Obi-tan. I'm listening."

0-0-0

The garden of the palace was breathtaking. It couldn't really be called a garden as it was more so the size and quality of a national park. Fields of greens and flowers stretched out as far as the eye could see with rows of walkways and statues. Cherry blossom trees were planted in areas to shade the walkways as well as to decorate the open plains. Ponds full of exotic fish swam in a manmade river with a bridge or two here and there.

They all sat together under one tree. The afternoon sun slipped through the blossoms of the cherry trees. He didn't think they were in bloom this time of year… but he figured it could be a magical thing considering how vibrant the colors were.

No lawn was ever this green. Ever.

"So, uh…" he fidgeted around once everyone was comfortable. "I'm a little lost here. Almost drowning, really. Can someone explain to me what's going on?"

Ophis raised her head to look up at him from her spot in his lap. She had claimed it for herself as soon as he sat down and he didn't refuse her. Li Qin puffed her cheeks with jealousy and Tiamat glared at the loli Dragon. But neither of them protested either. Tiamat had to shut her eyes and hold herself back. Li Qin's glower softened once her sword twitched.

The two Knights of the Round, Kayla and Trist he learned, stayed in the far back to give them privacy but close enough to be called upon if needed. They were talking quietly to themselves while keeping an eye on their surroundings.

White Chaser— who's name Issei had yet to find out (though he didn't ask either)— leaned against the tree with his arms crossed. He had a smirk of amusement across his lips. Though he looked relaxed, the tension in his body said otherwise. He was perpetually locked in a state of combat awareness. It was something naturally gained through experience and training rather than Issei's constant awareness as a Predator.

"You, are not aware?" Ophis asked. "Tiamat did not tell you?"

"He must remember for himself," the blue Dragon countered.

Ophis lowered her head to look at Tiamat. She shook her head slowly, "He, is and is not Ddraig. The Rule of Synthesis have made them into one. Issei, has Potential. Nothing more."

"I am aware of what's become of my brother," Tiamat growled.

Ophis blinked with dreamy eyes. "Then why do you insist he will remember what is not his?"

"Because, as you say, he _is_ Ddraig."

"But he has Potential," Ophis countered with a small raised finger. "Has and is are different. I, have read his QIC. He has Potential. Nothing more."

Tiamat's brows furrowed.

"Um… I'm right here," Issei sighed. "Can we please talk as if my opinion matters?"

"Basically, from what I understand," the White Chaser spoke up from the back, "you defeated Ddraig and took on all his authorities. The Rule of Synthesis is something designed by the Ruler of the World. It's the phenomenon that can meld two or more things together to form a singular subject. Always, the most dominant ingredient maintains most of its form."

Issei blinked at that. "So that's what happened… I always wondered why… I'm like this. But that doesn't make sense! Most dominant ingredient? If anything Ddraig should have taken over me, not the other way around!"

The White Chaser shrugged, "Never underestimate the potential of humanity. We've been slaying gods since the old days."

"Humans, are the most interesting creatures in existence," Ophis spoke up. "They have always contested our kind. Your Gifts are proof of that."

Tiamat had said something similar once. His Gift of Flight, for example, was a trophy he gained from making Ddraig bow to his will. It was a mark that proved he was _better_ than Ddraig.

"Had this happened in any other World," Tiamat spoke up, "I would have sought vengeance. You would have only acquired the Gift of Flight— none of Ddraig's affinities. But because of _this_ World and that accursed Rule are you my brother."

His head was starting to hurt again.

"Yeah, that," he pointed out while scratching his head. "About that. How exactly does that work? Parallel worlds?"

"Oh, oh, oh!" Li Qin leaned forward with one hand to the ground holding her up and the other hand raised hi. "Me! Me, Puppy! I can answer this one!"

"Um… sure?"

She sat up straight with a large grin spreading her lips, "The Original Law of Progress. It's the Third Law in which states 'All is Infinite'!"

He waited for her to continue with the explanation. She didn't.

"…You lost me," he said.

She puffed her cheeks with annoyance.

"There is much to explain," Ophis said quietly to him. "Originals and Primordial Lawmakers. Dreamers and this Ruler. What do you wish to know first?"

He took immediate note on how everyone fidgeted where they were, making themselves comfortable. People only did that when they knew it was going to be something long they were going to go through.

"From the top, please," he sighed with a bit of apology in his voice.

Ophis nodded, faced forward, and recited in her empty voice, "The Originals then. They, are the highest breed of existence. They, created existence as a whole. There were three and three. The Kings of Three and the Trinity Kings. They, created three Laws. Six Laws, but three parallel to each other. They, say what exists and what does not."

"Hey!" whined Li Qin. "You can't forget about Mars! There're more Originals out there than just the 3x3 Kings!"

Ophis stared at her. As did Tiamat. They both gave her a flat look that told her to keep quiet.

Mainly because Issei was on the verge of drowning and couldn't afford any unnecessary information.

Li Qin sulked while she clutched the crimson sword in her lap.

"So… Originals are the kings of aliens?" Issei surmised.

"We, are not extra-terrestrial," Ophis said. He could have sworn she sounded insulted but her voice and tone remained as dead as ever. "Originals are… Originals. They, are a breed of their own. They, are a higher existence. They, are the first of all things. They, are absolute, undeniable, and almighty."

"Those all sound like the same things," he replied. "So not aliens. But gods?"

Tiamat did not hide her insulted tone, " _Gods_ are creations of a World. They are either naturally born as the weavers of a World or are conceptual creatures created by the wishes and prayers of their worshipers. They are as mortal as their worshippers. The Originals are, as the Queen says, Originals. They simply are. Gods cannot rise any higher than the World they are bred in. Perhaps Travel to other Worlds, but they will never rise higher."

"They're Defiant beings," Li Qin offered with a small voice. "They aren't any higher than Dreamers in the hierarchy."

If Issei had a table, he would flip it. More lingo he couldn't follow!

Li Qin received another icy glare from Tiamat. Her sword twitched a few times. She sulked further and bowed her head, promising to keep quiet this time.

"Hierarchy," Ophis muttered. She tilted her head. "Yes, that is a good word to use. There is a hierarchy. Guardian Zerrogjochvonik wrote a testament on it. That, may hold merit in this case."

Issei cocked a brow but chose to remain quiet. There it was again. The mention of Guardians. He waited for the loli Dragon super alien/goddess thingy to carry on.

"The Originals stand at the top," she explained, raising a finger to count. "They, came before existence because they are existence itself. They created existence. If it does not follow any of their Laws, it does not exist. Even I, [Nothing], exist when I am nothing. Because nothing, the word and the concept, is recognized. Therefore, it exists in some way."

He nodded slowly. He could follow that much at least.

She raised another finger, "Below them, are we, the Primordial Lawmakers. We, define what it means to exist. We, describe what existence entails. We, take the Originals and their vague Laws, and make something out of it. Physics, metaphysics, concepts, mystics, mysteries, spirituality, and authorities. We, created the Laws that govern all Worlds. We, declare what makes the planet spin, why the sky is blue, why fire spreads, why prayer creates gods, why life becomes and turns into death, why all things begin and why all must end."

She paused to let it all settle.

He was about to call them the gods instead before she gave him that little example. She outright dejected the idea before he could voice it. She wasn't a god— she was the thing that _made_ the gods.

He gulped as he looked around. Very few had wandered out into the gardens as most of the party was happening within the grand hall. He remembered how many of _them_ there were, these beings who transcended his might as a Predator. He remembered facing against Tiamat's transformation.

Primordial Lawmakers. That transformation of hers was a body made out of words. It was made out of the Laws of the World. She, in that form, was able to use the World against him in their battle.

Hades had also mentioned something about the World to him. Had he been able to read the World as easily as a book _because_ he was one of these Lawmakers?

At last he finally understood why he was so far out of his league.

But, something else came to his mind. He had defeated Ddraig. He had _become_ Ddraig. Every one of these Lawmakers had recognized him as Ddraig. They believed he was one of them. And, as both Ophis and Tiamat claimed, he _was._

"D-Ddraig was one of these… Lawmakers?"

"You are [Potential]," Tiamat said softly, watching him closely. "The Law of Potential."

"…It Can Happen…" Issei muttered in remembrance. It was something Ddraig had told him in his dream.

Tiamat's eyes lit up. The smallest of smiles curved her lips. She looked relieved.

He recalled their alternative names as well. Tiamat had been [Twilight] and Ophis [Nothing]. White Chaser had been introduced as [Entropy]. Izanagi was [Alteration]. And Hades had been called [Chronicle].

"But…" Issei furrowed his brows. "Izanagi-san called Xi'long-chan a Valkyrie. And her sword, I think, is a… Planetary Representative?"

"Mars is the Original Mars," Li Qin interjected. She ignored any looks directed her way.

Ophis tilted her head while she stared at the open air. She was quiet briefly. "Mars, is an Original, yes. But not like the 3x3 Kings. He, is the lowest of Originals. He, is beneath even most of our kind. There… are rankings within the hierarchy. Originals have theirs. We have ours. Another time, when you have learned enough, I will tell you."

The sword in Li Qin's lap was twitching a few times. The same strange impression that it was crying flashed through Issei's head. It was supported by the fact Li Qin was stroking its side as though it were a distraught kitten.

Issei nodded. "Right. Just to be clear… Originals are the creators while Primordials are the, um, designers? Like, the Originals just make the raw goods while you guys— I mean _we—_ use it to make stuff? They supply the wood and we build the house?"

"…Why does everyone use the carpenter example?" White Chaser questioned aloud.

Issei didn't get it.

"A very crude and simplistic deduction," Tiamat said dully. "But accurate enough. Yes."

"…So how to gods play into all of this?" he questioned.

Tiamat glared at him.

Ophis raised another finger, "Gods are below. But before them, and beneath us, are the Dreamers. They, take what is ours and warp it to their liking. They, alter our Laws, creating Rules. They, create Worlds of their own, outside our jurisdiction.

"They, are also called Rulers."

0-0-0

"I still don't get it," said Saji.

"Yeah, don' worry," Richard replied as he slapped the boy's shoulder. A couple weeks ago and Saji would have bucked forward by the Archmage's inhuman strength. Instead, he kept his footing as they walked. "This sorta thing doesn't catch on easily with most mundies. Says something you haven't gone kickin' and screamin'."

"Alright, let's look at it this way," Jay suggested while he fiddled with his hands in his pockets. The clinking of keys could be heard. "Let's say all of reality is like a game. Like chess, or shogi, or Candy Land."

"Candy Land?" questioned Tomoe.

"Candy Land," the Ruler of the World nodded at her. "You got a board, you have pieces, you have spaces, and you have methods to progress the game from start to end. So let's say this: the fact that it's a game to begin with is an authority of the Originals. They just say it's a game but don't say what kind.

"That's where the Primordials come in. They say how big the board is, how many spaces there are, what the rules are, and how to beat the game. It even comes with a little manual that tells you what to do and how things work."

"Yeah, I did get that much," Saji said. "But what I don't get is how _you_ play into this. You're the Ruler of the World, right? And how about God of the Bible for that matter? I thought he was the one who created the World."

"Caps World and no-caps world are two different things," Richard supplied. "Caps World is a system that governs _one_ universe. The Primes say how it all functions. They are the ones who came up with the template to our Lego foundation."

"Legos!" Jay gave a toothy grin. "That's a brilliant way of saying it. It works just right."

"Yes, I'm awesome," Richard gave a dramatic bow. "Thank you, thank you."

"Either as a game or as building blocks," Jay went back. "There is a manual for how things are done. I, the Ruler, can alter anything I want. So, for Candy Land, instead of progressing forward with each color drawn I could have it progressing forward with a pair of dice."

"Candy Land doesn't have dice," Sona interjected. "Does this mean you can add things that didn't originally come with it?"

"Urm… no," Jay grimaced as he thought about it. "Only what the box comes with. Same with Legos. Can't build something with pieces I don't have. So, okay, I just tweak the rules. I can say there is no way of winning. Like, if you reach the end goal you have to go backwards now. Or, why do we have to take the path at all? We could go off the tiles and into the background design.

"Why do we have to follow the set model for the Lego package? I could easily make a Transformer out of the racecar model so long as I have all the pieces needed. _That_ is what I am. We're called Dreamers. We take what we can and mess around with the system. As the Ruler of the World, I can incorporate _Rules._ They're less potent than Laws and they only affect this one World we live in."

"Ohhhhh…" Ruruko's eyes flashed. "That makes a whole lot more sense! So you're like a doujinshi artist. Or a fanfiction author!"

Jay stopped walking as his body recoiled as if an arrow pierced through his lungs.

"D-Don't… Don't call me one of those heathens," he winced. "Fanfiction. Disgusting and highly unoriginal. All they do is take the hard work of other people and add clichés with unimpressive quality."

"…Isn't that exactly what you called yourself?" Saji questioned.

"I make _art_!" he protested. "I draw comic books for a living with _original_ ideas! And to call this World of mine like a fanfiction idea… ugh. I put a lot of work into it, thank you. I'd like to see anyone who has similar ideas like mine."

"Well," Richard smirked. "There's the Campione, first off. But that's just fictitious. Something more concrete, yeah? How 'bout them _Guardians_?"

Jay stopped walking again as he glared at Richard.

"…No one appreciates my work," he grumbled and pressed forward.

"How exactly does one become a Ruler, or Dreamer, or whatever?" Saji asked. "And what's the difference?"

"Dreamers are just creative kids who don't have Worlds of their own to mess with," Jay explained as he slipped back into his earlier tone. "Most don't even realize they're Dreamers. See, let's say you get an assignment from class. You have to write a story based on a painting the teacher showed you in class. You write the single-page story and turn it in. Little do you know did you just create another reality with its own World, people, systems, and Rules. But you still live in _this_ World; not that one. You are a Dreamer, but not a Ruler until you step into that World and take control."

"Wait a minute," Sona interjected. "Mr. Arlington, are you suggesting that we are within a _story_? That this isn't even reality and just _your_ imagination?"

"Nerve wracking, isn't it?" he gave her a mischievous smirk. "We're called _Dreamers_ for a reason. But you are as real as any other World naturally made by the Originals and Primordials. There's just one downside to it, though."

"…What's that?" Tomoe asked.

"If I die, the Dream comes to an end," he answered with a shrug. "This World fades away. The same with an author. The story can't continue unless someone picks up the pen. Without that certain someone… the story remains dead."

There was a heavy silence amongst them.

"The Rulers of the World I came from left when their contest against each other concluded," he went on. "Without them, the World stopped. Everyone dropped dead. Time became sterile. I had to take up the mantle. The result had me creating a World for myself, a mere copy of the one I came from with a few tweaks here and there. Almost everything is the same."

"…Except you didn't have Devils," Sona recited from what Predator Philips said.

"We didn't have Devils," Jay sighed. "Now _that_ is a result to my poor planning. I did everything to make sure the previous Rulers didn't return. I installed the Predator system. I never took into consideration the events of the Earth Mother and Heavenly Father. I never thought to try and control domestic affairs rather than external."

"Can anyone become a Dreamer?" Ruruko asked with a raised hand.

Jay shrugged, "I don't know. I was a Dreamer as soon as I was born, but I didn't learn about my status until a certain Primordial told me. I don't know if it's something you have to be born with or something that can be obtained as you go. But… I do know it can be inherited."

Heads nodded. Their questions died off as they resumed their walk.

Jay slowed his pacing, letting other walk by him. Richard caught on and engaged in conversation with the girls as a distraction. Sona fell back as well to walk alongside him. Saji peered over his shoulder but said nothing. His face had shifted to something unreadable.

"Thank you for doing this," Sona said to him.

"Don't worry about it," he said in a somber tone. "They're good kids. I think this would be a good experience for them. A vacation is what they need."

Sona was quiet for a moment as they walked.

"How are they?" Jay asked. "How are they really?"

Sona frowned at that.

She only had three members of her peerage left. Ruruko had yet to fully recover from her wounds but was hysterical about being left alone at the hospital. Saji was torn between staying with her and accompanying his King. And Tomoe had been cleared after the first few days. While her wounds had healed, the incident had left a scar that would never fade on her mind. Tomoe had lost her smile.

Sona should have left them all back in the hospital under her family's watch. They were safe in the Underworld. But… a selfish part of her wanted them to be at her side. She was frightened she would lose them once they were out of her sight.

"They are coping," she answered. "It is a long road and I will not disillusion myself into believing things will be normal once again. But I believe they will manage if we remain together."

Jay studied her for a moment before asking, "And how about you? You doing alright?"

She pondered about her answer before giving it. "I will learn to manage as well. I will not grieve for those I have lost just yet. Not until at least one of them return to me. And for that, Mr. Arlington, my peerage is yours to see fit if it will help at all. We are here for our friends just as I am here for you."

He gave her a small smile and a nod. "Ah, Sona, you're way too mature for someone your age. I'm going to need you to assist me during the meeting. And please make sure I don't make a fool of myself; I'm not exactly the most sociable of people. I couldn't even survive prom with Janice."

He scratched his head, realized what he had done, and combed his hair back with his fingers. And then adjusted his glasses while smoothing out his shirt. He did one last look in his attire.

"If I am to be able to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability…" she adjusted her own glasses. She noticed she had done it right after he did; it was usually the other way around. "Then you should have permitted me to have a suit made for you. It would have been no trouble at all and could have presented yourself better as the Ruler of the World."

"I'm not paying you anything so I can't have you buy me things," he grumbled as he adjusted his tie. "Besides, I guarantee the first impression is going to burn even if I came waltzing in a suit of solid gold. When facing these beings, it's all about execution. Even the worst of ideas can become golden if used well enough."

"You mean like your Red Blur comics?" Richard called from in front.

"Go to hell!" Jay snapped. He sighed and steadied himself before turning back to Sona. "Right now is only introductions. Think of it like one big family reunion. I'm going to need you to be my eyes and ears. You're very sharp, Sona; I'm going to trust you to pay attention to more than just the people I talk to. Listen to everyone around us if you can. We can go over it all later afterwards. And I'll answer anything you might not understand."

"Of course," she nodded. "With our last few discussions I believe I am capable of following along close enough. Today is nothing but a social gathering. And tomorrow is the meeting. I will be able to give you a proper briefing after I've collected enough information through today's events. Is there anything else I should know about before we continue?"

She stopped walking, making him stop as well. The group ahead moved forward without them. But Saji took notice after the echoing clack of his King's steps stopped behind him. He paused, causing the rest to stop with him. They all looked back at the two.

Jay looked back at them. He stared the longest at Saji before brushing his hand in a gesture to give them a little more space.

Saji's eyes narrowed… even as everyone else took a few steps back. One look from his King had him doing the same.

Jay took a half step closer to Sona and leaned in towards her ear. She remained still as she listened to him whisper.

"The leader of my enemies is here. And there might be a second Ruler working with her."

He stood up straight, fixed his vest, and gave her a friendly smile with a wink. It was as though he had shared with her an innocent little secret rather than something that changed the importance of the meeting entirely to her.

She did well to mask her emotions. She adjusted her glasses with a nod (having him fix his glasses as well) and they both went back to their walk.

"Everyone ready?" Jay asked once they were all one big group again. "Game faces on. We're probably the last ones to— Hey, hold the phone. What happened to Clockwork?"

" _Now_ you notice her gone?" Richard asked, exasperated. "The kittens at front took her with the luggage. Don' worry. Won't be needin' her. Got everythin' we need right here and here."

He tapped his right temple and at his breast pocket.

"If you say so…" Jay shrugged and stepped to the front of the group. He gave one last tug to his clothes and rolled his shoulders. "Right. Let's have at it."

They walked further into the palace walkway until the visage of a man was at the other side. He was above average height with swept back hair and a pressed formal suit. He looked Japanese. But his clothes suggested he wasn't a part of the staff of Youkai.

Sona felt the gaze of something incomprehensibly intelligent. The man's eyes studied her and her peerage as they approached. It felt like everything she ever was and will be was read before this man's eyes. The moment only lasted a brief instant before he turned to the others.

He stared at Richard the longest, even going as far as to raise a brow. His eyes flicked from head to toe as they lit up with both surprise and admiration. While, yes, Richard Royals was breathtakingly gorgeous with an impression that never faded no matter how many times they met, this man was reading Richard deeper than mere skin beauty. He was reading into the foundations that made up the Lord Archmage.

He didn't look away until they were in front of them. The man had to force himself to look away.

When his eyes looked at Jay, he blinked, tilted his head, and eyes slowly began to narrow. His brows scrunched.

And then, as quick as a flash, his eyes widened with absolute outrage consuming him.

"You!" he hissed. He stood straight, no longer leaning against the wall. His body language read loathing and ready violence. It was as though the sheer presence of Jay warranted this man to crush him. It was worse than the urge to exterminate rodents and pests.

"Bless it all…" Richard swore (in his usual fashion anyhow) and produced a few Euros from his pocket. He handed them to Jay.

"Told you," Jay accepted them without looking away from the man. "So. Which one are you?"

The man took a few deep breaths to regain his composure. His face relaxed visibly but the hate did not wash away from his eyes. " _You_ are the Ruler of the World? I understand now why this World still holds the Law of Presence. Murdering her wasn't enough; you had to take away her authority as well? Have you no shame, Black Sun?"

"Oh yeah, that's another thing, Sona," Jay said over his shoulder. "I almost forgot. _All_ of the Primordials hate me. Hey, Sona? You alright?"

Sona had to remember how to breathe. What this man had said had clicked with everything else Jay had mentioned in passing. Little things. Insignificant things. Trivial things that had nothing to do with their affair. They were things passed on like dust in the wind.

But once it finally clicked…

She swallowed and did everything she could to maintain her emotions.

"I will do well to remember that," she said in a stiff voice. She hoped he hadn't noticed.

He did, but not for the reasons she feared. What conclusion he came to on his own told her she was still safe. He turned back to the man with his retort.

"Kaichou…" Saji leaned a little without getting into her space to speak in a low voice. "Are you sure you're alright? That's not like you."

"It's nothing," she insisted. "I'll share with you what I can afterwards. Right now, focus on the task at hand."

"Yes," he said strictly and stood straight… so very much like the soldier the Knights of the Round had turned him into.

She frowned at his antics. It _was_ going to be a long road ahead of them all.

"You, first," said the man suddenly. He pointed at Saji. "I will announce you first, then the Son of Star, and then… the Black Sun."

He growled as he glared at Jay, who was unfazed by it as though he had received similar glances and perhaps worse countless times.

"Me?" Saji blinked and pointed to himself. "B-But… I'm just a Pawn. Shouldn't you be presenting my King—"

"Not you, vessel," the man snapped. "You are just the carriage. I will be announcing Vritra within you. As for your… King, she is but a guest. We only recognize those with authority."

Saji wasn't too pleased with his answer. He glared at the man with a heavy frown.

"Saji," Sona said.

And just like that, he reeled himself back and nodded with agreement.

"Good, now come with me," the man said and headed to the entrance to the grand hall. Saji followed him with Ruruko on his heels. She scooped her arm within his and he took it— both actions as smooth as silk as though they had done it hundreds of times before. He probably hadn't even noticed her presence.

The rest of the group waited at the archway while the three entered the grand hall.

A magnificent spear appeared in the man's hands suddenly. He hammered the butt of it against the floor in three booming knocks.

"PRESENTING!" his voice echoed throughout the chamber.

0-0-0

"Okay, so…" Issei bowed his head and scratched his brow. "Originals are the producers, Primordials are the crew, and Dreamers are just amateurs?"

"What a marvelous and completely accurate summarization of the Dreamers," chimed Tiamat. "If that is what it will take for you to understand, then yes, I can consent with this analogy. It is astronomically far from the truth, but close enough for a mundane to understand. I pray you remember all else soon, brother."

He sat there for a moment, letting their lectures soak through his mind. Ophis leaned against his chest; he didn't mind. Having her there was rather comforting. It probably had something to do with the way his Gift of Seduction fluttered by being close to her presence, but what did he know?

"…Then where do I stand as a Predator?" he asked suddenly.

Tiamat scowled at him. She didn't answer, too upset with his question to come up with a kind response.

"Waaaaaaaaaay down the road," answered Li Qin. "We're _Naturals_. That's below Defiant wielders, which are below Dreamers."

"That, is something you must ask the one who designed the Predator system," Ophis answered him. "The current Ruler of the World. He, will know more about it. He, will be able to answer you in a relatable way. I, know all about it. But I, cannot express it for you to understand. It, is not a Law, but a Rule. It is an interpretation from his imagination. It is not concrete."

"That'd be great if I could," he sighed. "But I can't find him. The Predator perk doesn't let me find him when I look for him. I don't know if it's because he's the Ruler or because I don't have a face or name or anything else to go by."

"He, is here," Ophis said simply.

"Seriously?!" Issei almost leapt to his feet if she hadn't been sitting on his lap.

He wasn't the only one to react similarly. Li Qin perked up and the White Chaser removed himself from the tree. They all listened to Ophis intently.

Ophis nodded once with her face remaining as empty as the void of space. She stood slowly; and when she was on her feet was she no longer in the Red Blur hoodie. She was back in her gothic Lolita dress. Her hands brushed against the skirt in a similar fashion a normal person would check if their garment was up to standard. But the way she did it was more so out of replication from watching others rather than doing for genuine concern.

"I, will be going to greet him. He, is an old friend. Will you accompany me, or will you remain here with your thoughts?"

He didn't need to think about it.

Everyone was on their feet right after he stood.

Of course he was going to go with her to meet the Ruler of the World! What kind of question was that? There were so many things he had to say to him. There were so many things he had to ask him. There were so many things they needed to talk about.

It was like getting the chance to meet the CEO of the company he's worked for three years straight. Or, to be a bit more specific, the company he _interned_ for three years and recently got employment.

He wasn't sure whether he was going to shake his hand, splurge out with a thousand questions… or punch his face in.

"PRESENTING!" Izanagi's booming voice could be heard even as they walked up the steps from the garden and back into the grand hall. The crowds had grown since stepping out and new faces and forms filled the room. Everyone had dropped their voices to a low murmur while others stopped entirely to look at the top staircase.

Issei just stared. His arms hung down his side numbly. He blinked as his mind came to an abrupt stop.

"…Saji's the Ruler of the World?" he questioned all of reality more than anyone else.

Standing at the top of the staircase was Genshirou Saji, the Pawn of Sona. Attached to his side with her arms clutching his was the other Pawn, Nimura Ruruko. He was dressed in a more masculine version of the Knights of the Round's black suit. He stood tall with his shoulders squared, if not a little stiff, with his head held high. His eyes scanned across the room in search of something.

His eyes immediately spotted the two women in similar black uniform, the Knights Trist and Kayla.

And then he spotted Issei. His eyes widened slightly with surprise.

"[FATE]!" announced Izanagi.

"Oh hey, it's Vritra," someone said within the sea of people.

Almost in the same way they greeted Issei, heads nodded and murmurs of greeting resonated throughout the room. He caught the spreading of rumors and chortles of hardly restrained laughter in the midst.

"Murphy!" that one guy who made a joke of things shouted over the murmurs.

There was a few seconds of silence while heads turned towards his voice.

"Murphy!" voices echoed with cheer and laughter.

"Murphy…?" Li Qin asked aloud. She tilted her head. And, to Issei's astonishment, an actual question mark appeared over her head in vibrant red neon. It popped after her sword vibrated. "Ohhhhhhh! Like Murphy's Law! I get it now!"

Ophis clapped her hands a few times without blinking an eye.

Saji walked stiffly to the bottom step. His face was flushed with embarrassment and confusion. Ruruko looked both nervous from being the center of attention and frustrated on Saji's behalf.

"So he's not—"

"No," Tiamat answered him. "That is just a mundane vessel. The one imprisoned in his Sacred Gear is the foolish Dragon Vritra. To us, the Law of Fate."

Saji was _not_ the Ruler of the World. Noted.

And what a great relief. Issei was worried for the future of the entire planet if _Saji_ was really the Ruler.

Izanagi wasn't done. He knocked his staff against the floor three more times to draw attention. The noise died down as he gestured for another figure to enter.

"PRESENTING! THE HEIR OF TRUTH, SON OF STAR, ARRIXAM LALASSU!"

A chorus of gasps sucked all the air out of the room. A surge of power flourished as though everyone lost control of their abilities for a brief second.

"Lalassu? It can't be the same tribe from the Primordial Age…"

"TheSon of _Star_? As in the Original Star?"

"A human from the Primordial Age with the ichor of a Trinity King… Great Abyss he's gorgeous."

"…His name's the same as the author of this story."

"Be quiet you! You're not even a planet anymore!"

The one to stand at the top of the stairs was Richard Royals. The Archmage of Wales was dressed in an expensive gray suit with a red jacket and tie. His sunglasses this time were red but his emerald eyes could still be seen despite the thick tint. His hair was as wild and unkempt as ever and it shone a bright metallic in the light.

"Who say what now?" he turned to Izanagi with his hands in his pockets, pushing the jacket open. "Hey man, not to tell ya your job or anythin', but the name's Richard Royals."

Silence filled the room once again.

"Star's Truth, he's as wonky as Ddraig!" said the comedian whom Issei needed to find at some point. "He thinks he's a _mundane_!"

A series of groans, sighs, and sobs of agreement filled the room.

"Haters," Richard shook a fist at them before walking down to join Saji. His eyes flashed briefly in Issei's direction. His smile returned and he nodded, silently saying he was going to join him as soon as he could.

"So Richard-san—"

"No," Tiamat, Ophis, and Li Qin said at the same time.

Richard Royals was not the Ruler of the World. Good. Another heavy weight off his chest.

Izanagi knocked three times again. But each repetition was… hollowed. He put a little too much effort into hammering his spear. It created a sort of atmosphere that drew in everyone's attention once again. He waited for everyone to stop their ramblings.

Eventually, the noise in the room dropped to absolute silence just like with when he presented Ophis. But Ophis' presence had made everyone still. Izanagi had to try and replicate this phenomenon on his own. The result didn't hold as much gravity… but it held something intense.

"Presenting…" his voice echoed in a low growl through clenched teeth. It told a story and a half that influenced everyone's impression of the newest arrival.

"The Ruler of the World. A Betrayer, slave to the Abyss, the Black Sun."

"Sun's Presence…" Tiamat swore. Her back arched as the air turned frosty around her. Permafrost escaped her breath.

Similar reactions made their way across the room. The air became thick with both mystical energies and emotional pressure. The room itself became a hostile hotspot.

Three figures stepped out of the entry to stand at the top of the stairs. He didn't need to second-guess the appearance of the Knight, Meguri Tomoe, and— his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her— Sona Sitri. If Saji and Ruruko were here then of course they would be here as well.

The one standing between them was a man hardly at average high, maybe shorter. He had dark skin, black hair, thick glasses that made his brown eyes expand three times their normal size, and was dressed in a suit that he probably picked up from a discount store. The lesser quality was painfully obvious after being exposed to so many fine and exotic suits and dresses.

His posture was low, timid, nervous yet defiant to keep his head up. He stood as tall as he was willing but the rest of his body language screamed at how badly he didn't want to be here. His fingers kept twitching, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his balance swayed.

He looked like a regular schmuck. He _felt_ like a regular schmuck. No matter how hard Issei tried to perceive him, all his senses could pick up was a normal man. There was no hidden talent masked away such as how these Primordials wore their skins like masks. No mystic energy flowed through his veins. No higher intelligence shone in his eyes. No hidden potential reflected on his unimpressive physical stature.

"…I'd have preferred if Richard-san was the Ruler," Issei sagged a little at the sight of the man.

The Ruler of the World gulped, fixed the hem of his vest, and began to climb down the stairs. His steps were wooden and he wobbled with each descend such as how one person would drunkenly turn their whole bodies to walk forward.

Sona and Tomoe were goddesses of poise compared to him. They kept their heads up while they followed him.

Li Qin was tugging on Issei's shirt with her mouth hung wide open. She was pointing at the Ruler while swiveling her head from him to Issei and back again in repetition. Whatever she wanted to say couldn't be put into words just yet.

"Yeah, I'm kinda shocked too…" he admitted. "I was expecting… something more impressive. I'm not sure what but—"

"But it's _Sunshine_!" she blurted out. "Oh my gosh! Sunshine is the Ruler of the World?! Sunshine! It's Sunshine! Sunshine is the Ruler!"

She was bouncing up and down with excitement.

"So that's the Ruler of the World, huh…" the White Chaser commented with a curled finger under his chin. "Not gonna lie, but that's rather disappointing. I can't sense any fighting spirit in him at all. Makes sense though. He designed the Predator system so he doesn't have to do all the fighting."

 _That_ made a lot of sense. Too much sense. It actually shattered Issei's expectations. Honestly, if Issei had a means of fighting without getting himself involved at all, he would have taken that chance at the first go. Being a Predator was exhausting to the mind, body, and soul.

"But it's Sunshine!" Li Qin went on. "Sunshine is amazing! Be nice to him or I'll be mad!"

The White Chaser put up a hand with a half-hearted smile. "Maybe some other time then. I don't think I'm ready to fight another one of you guys just yet."

Issei hadn't forgotten the last time they met. The White Chaser had badmouthed him, soiled his parents' names, and insulted his loved ones. In response, Issei broke his back, shattered just about every bone in his body, and left him for dead in the cathedral on the outskirts of Kuoh.

He also hadn't forgotten Rolan mention the White Chaser had been salvaged by the enemy, by the Khaos Brigade. And here he was. With Ophis.

For that matter, what exactly was Ophis in the affairs of the World and its Evensong?

"Sunshine…?" Ophis tilted her head slightly as she stared through the crowds. There was no doubt she could keep track of the Ruler while he moved forward. "Fitting. It is… ironic. Humans and their need for names… they are interesting."

"That can't be his real name," Issei deadpanned. "What is it?"

"Sunshine is Sunshine," Li Qin said with clear eyes.

"His vessel is not his own. He does not exist. It is appropriate to call him Black Sun," Tiamat spat.

"I, shall call him Sunshine," Ophis declared. There was a little bit of oomph in her tone this time. As if the empty Dragon had been eager to try it out.

"But what's his _name_?!" Issei asked.

"Why not just ask?"

The crowds had parted different than how they did with Ophis. With Ophis, they had done so out of respect to someone of a significantly higher status. They had called her the Queen and held it within their hearts.

For the Ruler of the World, however, they parted away from him as though he were a walking mass of acid. They didn't want to touch him. They sneered at him and then turned their faces away. They even cursed in his direction, saying things like 'traitor' and 'murderer'.

Even Tiamat let out a low growl at the back of her throat. She kept her shoulders square. But… her eyes never met his. She looked _over_ him as though he were invisible.

The two groups faced each other. Issei's and the Ruler's. Looks were exchanged from curious brows rising to curt nods of greeting.

The Ruler gave Issei a somber smile. His lips parted slowly as he took in the sight of the Dragoon Predator. It was a very sad smile with eyes full of pride… and regret.

…It was a look not unlike his father's whenever Issei got in trouble. He would scold him, punish him to give him a lesson, and then love him all the more. The Ruler was looking at him the same way.

"Your Majesty," the Ruler greeted Ophis first. He put his right foot in front of his left, spread his arms out below his hips, spread his fingers out, and gave a low bow. His arms expanded slightly to his back, almost in a similar fashion of wings ready to take flight.

It was also the same bow he had seen from Tiamat after her transformation.

"Sunshine," Ophis said with a small nod.

The Ruler's lips pursed as his smile twitched. He rose and addressed her, "I guess that's better than calling me by my real name."

"I, noticed," Ophis tilted her head. "I, saw the World speak to your champion just now. You, do not wish me to share them your real name. The Abyss has turned you into a charmer, Sunshine."

"So you've told me…" the Ruler gave a small chuckle and a warmer smile to her. "It's good to see you, Ophis. Like this. Like the old days."

"Like before, yes," Ophis agreed. "But I, am Queen, no more. Baka Red stole my crown…"

Issei quirked a brow. It was the first legitimate emotion he had seen from Ophis since meeting her. For a moment, she sounded like an honest child pouting after a bully took her favorite doll or something.

"Everyone else still recognizes you as Queen," Jay said, looking around briefly. "The Right of Authority is just a trophy. Speaking of which, I _did_ invite the so-called Dra'cueri King. He gave me… this reply. I was hoping you could translate."

He pulled out a small slip of paper from his pant pocket and handed it to Ophis. She unfolded it; her eyes fell into a half-lidded gaze.

Issei glimpsed over her shoulder and read 'RAWR' in bold letterings.

"Vulgar," Ophis stated.

"What is?" asked Jay.

Ophis looked up at him and returned the message, "It, says 'Fuck off'."

"…I expected nothing less," Jay gave a weary smile as he put the paper away.

"Hello, Arry," Ophis turned to Richard next. "It, has been a while. Your son, has been remarkable as of late."

"Richard-san," Issei sputtered without thinking. "You have a _son_? I thought you and Charity-san were, um…"

"That's what everyone keeps tellin' me," Richard replied. His expression was sour. "But he's gotta be that Donald guy's kid. I haven't touched the misses. Not… once… oh…"

He looked away with sadness blaring in his eyes.

"Sunshine!" Li Qin squealed and leapt for the Ruler. She threw her arms around him (knocking the wind out of him as he made a noise) and giggled in delight. "You haven't visited me lately! I thought you forgot about me! Why haven't you called?"

"H-Hello, Li Qin," the Ruler choked out as his ribs were being crushed. "It's… good to see you… too. Sweetie… can't… breathe…"

She let him go and giggled some more. "He called me Sweetie."

A few seconds after the Ruler caught his breath, he looked at Issei once more. A warm smile graced him, having him look a few years older than his appearance. It was yet another sad smile full of pride and regret.

"Hello," he said before pressing his lips together. He wasn't sure what else to say.

"Hello…" Issei said back in the same manner. He also wasn't sure where to begin.

"Can I call you Issei?" he asked.

"Sure," Issei nodded while scratching his cheek. His hand dropped immediately as he became flustered. "Do I call you Ruler-san… -sama… -dono? Or…?"

"Jay," the Ruler answered quickly. "You can call me Jay. I go by Jay Arlington these days."

There was a chorus of sneers and unpleasant snickers from those within earshot. Following them were crude comments and insults. The word 'liar' was thrown around a lot.

"I believe we have much to talk about," the Ruler, Jay, said, blowing off the negative emotions directed his way. "I owe you that much. I'm inviting you to dinner this evening. But if you'll excuse me, I have to make my rounds and pay my respects to others."

"…Sure," Issei said, his mouth dry and tongue numb.

Jay gave him one last smile before turning to Sona, "Will you be coming with me or would you like to be with your friend? I think I can manage on my own for a few greetings."

There was something between them that Issei could scarcely pick up. A silent conversation was being shared between their gazes. Sona's eyes were hard, hiding her reaction by adjusting her glasses by the arch at her nose. It was something he always noticed whenever she was upset with him but didn't want to let him know. She used this tactic to regain her composure countless times before.

Her eyes flicked towards him. His heart fell to his stomach and he found himself looking away. He couldn't meet Sona's eyes. Not after everything that's happened to her and her peerage. He didn't want to face her just yet.

"There will always be time later to socialize," he heard Sona's reply. "Ise and I can always talk at dinner."

Ise? Not Hyoudou? She was calling him by his nickname?

Their eyes met when he lifted his head. A thousand words were expressed in Sona's eyes. It told a story with jumbled details he couldn't piece together. She was still mad, that was for sure. But she wasn't mad at him. Her anger never subsided with time like he had hopped. But it had been put aside by something he didn't know about.

He wanted to know if she was here because of the Ruler. And why. Why did the Ruler of the World choose her, of all people, to accompany him to a gathering like this?

"Sir Genshirou," said one of the Knights, Trist. She said nothing else as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and made a gesture with her fingers while doing so. A signal.

Saji's face remained in the same expression as it was before— which was a complete nervous wreck— before nodding to her.

"Well then," Jay said suddenly after hearing Sona's response. "Dinner it is. Most of these people will get bored in an hour or two. I suggest taking a tour of Kyoto. I'm thinking dinner will be at seven. That okay with everybody?"

"Yay!" cheered Li Qin, pumping a fist into the air. "Is this a date with Sunshine?! I'll take it!"

…Wasn't it less than an hour ago she was calling Issei her husband?

Jay gave her a nervous smile before waving a hand in goodbye. He gave one more moderate bow to Ophis, who replied with a nod of her own, and slipped back into the crowds. The remainder of the Sitri peerage followed after him. Sona looked once over her shoulder at Issei before looking away to follow Jay.

Richard, however, remained with Issei.

"What'cha doin' here?" he said before throwing an arm around his neck and pulling him in close. "Never thought to see ya here. Did Tia there drag ya?"

"Do not call me that," Tiamat said.

"Tia…" Ophis repeated with her eyes glancing up at the blue Dragon. The smallest, even smaller than the atomic scale, of smiles tugged on the corner of her lips.

"I could ask you the same thing," Issei said, fighting against the Archmage so his face wasn't inside the man's armpit. "What's this about Son of Star? Richard-san, are you another Lawmaker?"

"Oh, hear about the Primes?" Richard's eyes twinkled. "As for me, I think someone got me confused with someone else. Like all those times the taxmen collect charges from that Donald Douglas guy. Kinda gets annoying but I've gotten used to it. I figured this was one of those times."

"Whoa!" Li Qin said with her mouth hanging open. "Mars says you're the man who killed Jupiter with the… What was it again, Mars? The Clockwork Spine! I don't know what that is, but that's so cool! I can't imagine anything being able to kill Mars!"

"…Lass, I don't know whether to be checking you out or givin' you my jacket for modesty," he said after eyeing the Valkyrie Predator. "Don' know nothin' about a Clockwork Femur. I _do_ happen to have a familiar belonging to the Clockwork family from another World. But last I checked, I'm just a lowly Sorcerer. Ain't able to touch the high and mighty Originals, even the lowest of them like a Planetary Representative."

Li Qin's sword twitched a few times.

"Right back at ya," Richard said to the sword.

Li Qin's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she looked between Richard and her sword numerous times.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this," Issei said, gesturing to the room and its entirety. "Originals. Primordials. Dreamers and Rulers. I always thought… Predators were the strongest in the World. And then I find out we're really nothing."

"There's always a bigger fish, Ise," Richard replied firmly. He let him go and took a half step away. "Oh, you're the strongest in the World, definitely. But the Origins and Primes are outta this world. Remember the manhandling Tia here gave ya earlier in the week?"

They both stared at Tiamat, who glowered at Richard for using her name like that despite her protests.

"I doubt I'll ever forget about it," Issei responded with a small shiver. "Her transformation… that's what everyone here is like, right?"

"All the Primes, yeah," Richard nodded. "Most the peeps here, though, are their lackeys. Kinda like how your gal is right now with Jay."

"What's going on with that?" he asked. "Why is Sona with the Ruler?"

Richard shrugged, "Jay had a job opening for this particular event. He asked me to help him cull the herd. Lots'a peeps qualified. But Sona was the one who made the final cut. I dunno if it was 'cause she was the best. I think it was 'cause of the timing. Jay was in a hurry to find someone good enough."

Issei accepted the answer until he could speak to Sona later.

"Richard Royals," the White Chaser spoke up when he noticed the conversation had died down. "The Lord Archmage of Wales. That's quite the title to uphold."

"Don' think we've met," Richard said with a wary look. "You ain't a pal of Ise here. Can tell by the way you've been lookin' at him. Who're you exactly?"

"You can call me Vali. I'm the White Dragon Emperor," he replied with a feral and challenging smile.

Richard's eyes widened slightly.

…And then he started bursting with laughter.

"Y-You!" he gasped, pointed a finger at him, and began to laugh harder. "Y-You're the White Chaser! That… T-That's… I can't breathe…"

He kept going for some time. Once, when he started to calm down, a new set of laughter rolled out of him when he looked at the White Chaser— Vali. He had to look away and wipe away his eyes with a napkin from his inner coat pocket.

"Neh, neh," it was Li Qin, of all people, who wagged a finger at him. "That's not nice. The White Chaser is a celebrity! I'm happy to have met him! Oh! White Chaser, can I have an autograph?!"

Out of nowhere, she produced a permanent marker and a blank board for autographs.

Richard started a new round of laughter.

"…Albion seems upset," Tiamat commented as she eyed Vali.

Vali sighed as he combed a hand through his hair. "Yeah. He's been bummed for the past few years since the Red Blur stuff started to appear in the media. It's gotten so bad he gets into crying fits. Like right now. It'll be a good hour or so before he calms down…"

For the smallest of instances, Issei could relate.

It faded quickly. Almost instantly.

Li Qin flicked her board and marker again. She was still waiting for her autograph.

…Ophis joined in as well with her own set. Plus, she was wearing a White Chaser hoodie this time.

"…I've already signed everything in your collection," Vali said to her.

"I, want another," she retorted. "I, will never have enough."

It was almost hilarious seeing this happen to someone else.

The familiar sound of knocking brought Issei's attention back to the stairs. He was curious to see who the newest arrival was, as were several others. Izanagi knocked his spear repeatedly, more than thrice for this instance. He did it enough times to send the message that this was yet another very important arrival.

"If I may have your attention," he pleaded to the crowds. "Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, my fellow brothers and sisters, and those elsewhere we shan't neglect, I bring your attention to our most gracious host. May I present to you the keeper of this land who permitted us acceptance into her home for our reunion. Announcing, the Matriarch of the Youkai, the Kyuubi, Yasaka."

Izanagi lifted his spear in a salute, bowed, and moved away from the center of the stairs while keeping his head bowed. He didn't raise it back up until he was off to the side.

Issei's heart was pierced with a fiery arrow at the sight of this blonde bombshell. She was a grown woman in a white and red yakata embroidered with flowers, trees, and creatures of the forest. Her hair was as golden as sunlight and her eyes shone like sunlight itself. Her skin was creamy and flawless. At her back swayed nine tails in the same shade as her hair.

Her breasts were large. They just might rival Akeno's… maybe even surpass.

Her smile was fitting of her kind. She smirked like a fox as her eyes flashed at Izanagi, "Thank you, Izanagi-sama. It's an honor to have such an introduction by the ruler of the Shinto Pantheon."

A few chuckles were made from the floor below.

Izanagi didn't show a reaction.

Yasaka turned back to the crowds. Her smile was friendly this time. "Lawmakers of the realms and beyond, I first thank you for your services, charity, and patience throughout these troubling times. You have all gathered here in pursuit of seeking ulterior means in performing your duty. I wish for all of you to find an agreement that is beneficial to both your kind and the residents of this World.

"In favor of your gathering, I have opened my home to each and every one of you with open arms. I welcome you as one of my own. I grant you permission into my cities and to each facility available within my palace. If there is anything you request, please seek out any of the servants and we shall humbly reply to the best of our ability.

"Having that said, I will not tolerate any misbehavior. I have been placed as the host to your gathering. Therefore, in accordance with your Laws and by the permission of the Ruler of the World, it is within my rights to remove anyone who abuses my hospitality. Anyone who harms my servants, my subjects, my loved ones, or even threatens my home will be expelled with extreme prejudice. But I'm sure we will never come to that."

She paused with a sweet smile, baring sharp fangs for all to see.

"What a woman…" Issei heard Richard whistle. A bit of blood trickled down his nose as his sunglasses hummed with magic.

Those sunglasses! That's right! He was able to see through girl's clothing! He was seeing what lay hidden underneath Yasaka!

"Puppy…?" Li Qin turned to him. "Are you crying?"

"N-No…" Issei sobbed while he looked away with shame. Of all the things he packed… he forgot one of the most essential things. He forgot the see-through glasses he spent a fortune on!

Yasaka's eyes glittered while her smile spread a fragment larger. Her eyes found their group. Something dangerous loomed within those sunlit orbs of hers.

Whatever it was made Richard gulp and remove his glasses.

"That's better," Yasaka said with another honey-kissed smile. "McCain's Evensong is drawing closer to this World. As many of you are aware, because of the repercussions of the Black Sun, this World is the last one to withhold its Presence. The Ruler has constructed Sun Spheres to maintain the Original Sun's Law of Presence. But with the threat of the Evensong around the corner, your haven will not last unless something changes.

"The purpose of this gathering is not to socialize and be reacquainted with your brothers and sisters. This is no family reunion. This is an assembly to formulate a plan that will assist the World's defenders, the Ruler, and preserve your home. Should this World succumb to the Abyss, there will be nowhere else for you to roost. We must all work together if we are to survive the Evensong."

The sound of mocking laughter cut her off. It was a throaty laugh resonating with thick magic. It filled the air.

In a flash of colors, a man appeared. He floated above everyone's heads and peered down at them with his nose lifted. He had black hair, beady black eyes, and was dressed in long black robes. Runes decorated his garments and hummed with power.

"Work together?" his voice boomed through magic amplifications. "Ridiculous. I will not stand by and let this—"

"Who's piece of trash is this?!" someone from down below bellowed.

"That's Loki," someone else answered. "That's, what, the Norse Pantheon? ODIN! You dragged mud all over the carpet!"

Groans of annoyance swept through the room.

"That," Ophis tugged on Issei's sleeve and pointed to Loki, "is a god. He, is not one of us. He, is mundane."

"Shouldn't… I don't know… someone stop him or something?" Issei scratched at his cheek. "Even I've heard of Loki. He's a trickster god. It sounds like he means business."

Tiamat put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from doing it himself. The World was telling him Loki was bent on causing destruction. And he was packing heat. He had something hidden under his clothes and other things waiting from where he came. A small legion of his followers and mythical beasts were waiting patiently all the way from Scandinavia. They would show up here as soon as he gave the signal.

"Alright, alright," someone from the crowd raised her voice to get everyone settled. "This isn't the first time, so everyone stop throwing a hissy fit. Odin gets the penalty. Who betted against him in the pool?"

"YEAAAAAHHH!" someone roared with triumph. It was the guy who constantly cracked jokes whenever someone arrived.

"Dammit, Azazel won _again,_ " another voice cursed.

"We need to stop allowing Outsiders from participating."

"Hey! Who was it that bet _for_ Odin?"

"You mean someone actually put money on him?"

"Speak now or I embarrass your ass."

"SILENCE!" Loki barked. "You miscreants fail to understand your situation. The factions have remained separated for a reason. For centuries have you all waged war against another. Do you think any of us have forgotten? I will not allow your talks for peace to carry on. Even if it means your deaths!"

He spread his arms out. Portals began to appear behind him. The glowing eyes of men in Viking armor, winter beasts with exaggerated features, and the slithering scales of serpents and lesser dragons could be seen within.

"L-Loki!" a woman's voice shrieked. "Stop this now! No good will come of this! If you surrender now we can discuss things _rationally_! O-Odin! Don't just stand there and drink! Say something!"

The response was a loud belch.

Everyone around him laughed.

"If you're not gonna announce yourself…" another voice said. "Then I'm gonna just say it for everyone else to hear. The guy who put his faith in _Odin_ of all people and failed was…"

"…Shit."

It was Izanagi who swore. He lifted his spear off the ground and took a few steps towards the center of the stairs.

The Primordial Lawmakers all barked in laughter. They pointed fingers and made crude jokes.

"Izanagi," Loki's eyes narrowed as he watched the man twirl is spear around a few times. "I'd have expected you of all people to follow through with my reasoning… considering the fate of your dearly beloved—"

"She was a hag," Izanagi interjected. His eyes were bored as he checked the quality edge of his spear. He ran a finger along its tip and flicked his fingers when some blood was spilt. "Always nagging and telling me how to do things. Never happy. I was glad when she kicked the bucket… but my only regret was raising the kids myself. God, they drove me crazy."

Loki's eyes narrowed further as soon as Izanagi swore.

"…You are not Izanagi."

"Nope," agreed the Primordial Lawmaker. "I'm just a damn good actor. Like everyone else here."

He flicked his spear once and it _changed._

It was no longer one of the divine regalia of Japan. It became something comprised of words. Words without an alphabet and a vocabulary that was never meant to be understood. They were lines woven together to form a pattern that made up a language. Yet this language can never be spoken.

It was the same as the chains that bound Hades' servants. And it was the same as Tiamat's transformation.

Issei realized these… wordless words were _Laws_.

Izanagi swiped his spear across the open air.

…And nothing happened.

When he brought his spear back down, letting the butt of it hit the floor with a thud, it was back to its physical form. He tidied the collar of his suit and stood straight to watch what he had delivered.

Loki's lips thinned, "Is that all? I had expected more from one of the primordial gods of creation."

It was strange, but somehow Issei had been able to hear the word 'primordial' from Loki without the capital 'P'. It didn't hold any authority in it. He was just describing something like the weather.

Izanagi only drummed his fingers along the shaft of his spear.

An arrow as large as an arm came out of the portal and pierced from Loki's back and jutted out through his chest. The god let out a wail of pain and shock.

Other arrows came in the shadow of the first, not one missing their mark and turning him into a pincushion. Half a second passed and Loki threw up a magic barrier. The arrows following after shattered into splinters.

A great gaping maw of a dragon's stretched out of the portal and clamped down on Loki's barrier. It lit up in green sparks as hairline cracks started to appear. The god's blood drenched his cloak as he conjured more magic. Runes appeared in the air with crackling energy.

A great wolf leapt out of the portal. Its head slammed against the portal, shattering it, and drove its fangs into his shoulder. The god let out a scream as smoke started to rise out of the wound. He lost control over his magic and tumbled from the air.

The Lawmakers below gave him a wide berth to crash. Loki let out a groan as the air rushed out of his lungs from the impact.

The wolf, which was the size of a pickup truck, did not hesitate in digging its fangs into his neck and _pulled._

Loki began to gargle with an outstretched hand. His eyes were wide.

"I am the Law of Alteration," said Izanagi. "I am no _god._ You are beneath us. I _altered_ the loyalties of your followers. They see you as a traitor now. Even your son, the Fenfrir, recognizes you for what you are.

"I could tell you to never challenge us again. But words are lost to a dead man."

Issei had seen gods die before. He had killed a few of them during a time he was the Red Blur. It was the strangest, most beautiful, and saddest phenomena he could ever witness. The death of a god was like watching someone's hopes and dreams be crushed. It was like watching someone who tried their hardest reach absolute disappointment.

It was different from taking an actual life. Always, a part of himself was lost whenever these beings perished.

Watching Loki, no matter his intentions, had hurt to watch. Good or bad, it was the death of a dream.

The wolf, Fenrir, howled in a high, saddened whine. But that was all it did to grieve for its creator. It climbed up the stairs, lowered its body once at the top, and pounced upwards back into the portal it had burst out of.

It was Yasaka who waved her hand to seal the portal shut behind it.

"Odin, I've taken care of your trash. But you're to clean up your mess," Izanagi said to someone within the crowds.

"Aye…" the groan of an aged voice was heard. "Just gimme a mop and bucket already."

Issei saw an old man with a long white beard that almost touched the floor, lavender and gold robes, and an eyepatch. He dragged one of those yellow plastic buckets on wheels the school custodian usually used to mop the hallways after hours. This old man rolled up the sleeves of his regal attire and put the mop into the bucket to soak up the water and soap.

"O-Odin…" a silver-haired beautiful girl Issei's age stepped up. She was dressed in a business suit that had been tailored to wrap around her lovely shapely body. "Here, let me. Someone of your station shouldn't—"

"Rules are rules, Rossweisse," the old man, Odin, grumbled as he lifted the mop and placed it on top of Loki's cooling carcass.

Wordless words that made up Law came out of the bucket instead of water. They dripped off the mop like liquid and washed over Loki's form. Blood and mass were washed away as though Odin was trying to scrub away a spilt drink rather than a corpse. Issei was left completely baffled as he watched the old man tidy up the space.

In a few minutes, all that was Loki was gone. Odin placed the mop back into the bucket and started to wheel it off to the side of the room, where a staff member of the palace accepted it.

"Thank you very much for taking responsibility, Odin-sama," Yasaka's voice purred. "I'm glad no one else was harmed. But, please, and I say this to all of you, try to keep your private affairs _private._ Did anyone else forget to turn off the stove, or lock your cars, or put down a potential coup?"

Coughs and awkward murmurs were made. Some laughed nervously, some looked away from her, and…

"Hey, sweetie, it's me… Do you remember that growing green stuff in my workshop…?"

And Richard pulled out his cellphone to call his wife. He mumbled on the phone in a low voice and back turned from the group; something about making sure his latest experiment didn't open a portal into the Dimensional Gap.

"Good," Yasaka said once more. She stepped off to the side and leaned against the top railing of the staircase. She rested her elbows against it in a friendly manner typically seen from a loved one instead of the host to Primordial Lawmakers.

It was her smile that told them she meant business and tolerate no bullshit.

"Why don't we continue on with this weekend's agenda?"

0-0-0

"That's the strangest getup I've ever did see…" Odin commented, stroking his beard while he examined Jay. They twinkled when he spotted Sona at the Ruler's shadow. "Why hello there again, lass. It's good to see you! And is that the Kuoh Academy uniforms? Ah, Japanese schools never cease to amaze me. Buwahaha!"

"It's good to see you again, Odin-sama," Sona gave a curt nod and chose to politely ignore any other comment from the man.

"Lord Odin…" sighed Rossweisse with a hand to her temple. " _Please_ try to be a bit more respectful. You've been slapped three times today and I've had to apologize countless times on your behalf. You've almost started a few wars. And… I'm very sorry for his behavior, Miss Sitri."

"My _getup_ works," Jay snapped back bitterly. He adjusted his glasses afterwards… exactly when Sona did. How he had been able to do that when Sona had been in his shadow was beyond her. Or, it could have been coincidence. Or he had obtained a sixth sense to these sorts of things.

"Who're you trying to fool?" Odin asked with a snort. "Everyone here knows who you are."

"You Primordials, sure," Jay nodded in agreement. "Pardon me, Miss… Rossweisse. Sorry, I don't know your family name."

"It's just Rossweisse, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Ruler."

"You can call me Jay. Anyways, do you happen to know who I really am?"

Rossweisse tilted her head at the question. "The… Ruler of the World? Someone who had an idea and put it on paper— that's what Lord Odin tells me. Other than that, I've heard the other leaders call you… Black Sun. I'm sorry if I offend by saying so. But I've no reference in the name."

"My getup _works,_ " Jay said with a victorious smile at Odin.

"Hmph," Odin gave another gruff as he continued stroking his beard.

It was hours after the first concession. Jay had stayed for as long as he was welcomed, walked around the room to talk to those who were tolerant of his presence, and then excused himself thereafter. He took Sona and her peerage into the palace to show them their rooms. The girls were to bunk with Sona while Saji bunked with Jay. The rooms were next to each other and connected with a single door— putting a stop to Saji's protests before he could begin.

It should be noted that Jay was not a people-person. He was surprisingly introverted and Saji told Sona he crashed the instance they were in his room. Talking to so many people burned him out and he didn't recover until it was time for dinner.

"So what'd you guys do for the rest of the day?" he asked the entire group while they waited for the rest to arrive.

"Kyoto is home to some of the best brothels and taverns in all Japan," Odin jumped in with a large grin and rosy cheeks. "I had that Azazel boy show me around. Treated me to a few pleasantries with his winnings."

Rossweisse let out another bone-weary sigh. Her shoulders sagged slightly as she lowered her head in shame.

Sona pitied the girl. It must be an awful job playing chaperone to the head of the Norse mythology. Let alone to a Primordial Lawmaker that made the reality warping _gods_ seem like stage magicians.

"I had to pitch in after they ran out of money," Rossweisse sobbed.

Ruruko stepped up to give the valkyrie a pat on the shoulder in sympathy.

"Stayed in my room for the afternoon," Jay admitted without shame. "How about you, Sona? Did you and your peerage do anything?"

"We took a small tour around the premises," Sona answered. "We didn't want to step within the Youkai territory without permission. They're… sensitive to Devils as of late. We instead asked one of the maids to guide us through the palace. It was rather educational."

"…Sounds boring," Jay said.

"It really was," agreed Saji. He yelped when Sona gave him a glare.

"You kids are young," Odin gave a growl. "Should be out playing. All that museum stuff you'll have plenty of time for once you're as old as me. If I had your youth… Hmhnhnhnhnhn…"

As he cackled below his breath, Rossweisse produced an iron fan from a magic circle and swatted it at the back of his head.

"At last," Jay said suddenly as he spun around. "The guest of honor arrives with… a lot… of guests…"

Sona turned to see that Issei and the company he was with earlier had arrived. The smallest of the bunch, Ophis, as Jay had called her, was leading the pack with a completely void expression.

"Is there a problem with the numbers?" Sona asked. "I had assumed you extended your invitation to everyone in Ise's party."

"Did I word it that way…?" Jay pondered with a pale complexion. "I must have. I can't shoo them away either. That'd be too rude. I'm sorry my wallet, I shall remember you most dearly— Your Majesty! It's good to see you again on such short departure."

He drew up a smile and bowed in the same strange manner he had before; one foot in front of the other and spreading his fingers wide at his side.

"Hello, Sunshine," Ophis replied with a nod.

"Ah, Ophis," Odin gave his own greetings as he stepped forward. He also bowed in the same fashion as Jay, causing Rossweisse behind him to let out a small gasp. "It is an honor to meet the Queen herself in person."

"[Terraforming]," Ophis more so made an observation rather than a greeting. But she nodded at him as well.

Rossweisse, flustered that her patron was bowing before another, stepped up and was about to bow in the same manner. Her foot was in front of her other before Odin gave her a look and shook his head. She instead switched to a more modern bow with her legs pressed together and her upper body leaned forward in respect.

Ophis paid her no attention at all.

"Um… H-Hello again, Ruler-san," greeted Issei.

"Issei, please call me Jay," the Ruler returned. "And why don't you introduce us to your friends? I didn't get a chance to talk to them."

"R-Right…" Issei stuttered and gestured to his group. "You already know Richard-san and Xi'Long-san. This is Tiamat—"

"Do not waste your breath, Ddraig," Tiamat interjected. "I prefer if the _Betrayer_ does not relate with me in any way."

"…Then why are you hear?" irritation dripped out of Jay's tone before he caught himself and steadied his breathing.

"To ensure your touch does not corrupt my brother," Tiamat spat back. "He might seem interested in you as you are the master of this game, but he is not aware of your transgressions. I doubt he would be so willing to play along if he remembered the Worlds you handed over to the Abyss."

"Kitty has claws," whistled Richard. "Ignore her, _Sunshine._ The two dames are Sirs Kayla and Trist. Oh, and the dude in the back is the White Chaser."

"Vali Lucifer?" Jay blinked. "Shouldn't he be dead?"

Sona blinked and examined the gray-haired young man standing off slightly to the side. She had heard about Issei's confrontation with the White Dragon Emperor from Saint Serene herself. If the story held merit, then Issei should have killed him in their confrontation.

But him alive wasn't what caught her curiosity. It was his name. Vali _Lucifer._ Surely it was a coincidence he held the same name as one of the Princes of Darkness… right?

"I, drew him out and revived him," Ophis answered.

"Well…" Jay smacked his lips. He nodded a few times and gestured to his other guests. "Everyone who doesn't know, this is Sona Sitri and her peerage. The old guy right here is Odin. And this lovely lady, Issei, is Rossweisse."

While Jay grabbed her hand, Odin gave her a gentle shove to the front of the group. Rossweise almost lost her footing as he was forcibly placed in front of Issei.

A small bit of annoyance crossed Sona as Issei's eyes _immediately and without a shred of shame_ went straight to her breasts. It had been only a flicker, a force of habit rather than interest— though the interest was still there— and his eyes had met hers before she noticed.

"O-Odin this is… sudden…" Rossweisse became flustered with a bright red face. She had her hands at her front as she lowered her head. "R-Red Blur! It is a great honor to meet you! I've heard much of your tale. Your latest venture against the Vampire is legendary. P-Pleased to meet you! I-I'm Rossweisse! A v-v-valkyrie!"

Sona gave Jay a quizzical look, demanding an answer from him through her sharp glare. The Ruler was doing everything in his power to pretend he wasn't noticing her.

"Um… L-Likewise," Issei returned the greeting with a bow of his own. "Thank you for joining us. I'll be in your care."

"Y-Yes… I will be in your care as well…" Rossweisse's face reddened some more and a girlish smile spread her lips. It was like watching a first-year getting the attention of the senior she crushed on.

"They said our table is ready as soon as everyone arrived," Jay said. "Dick. Why don't you go check just in case? I might have miscounted our numbers."

"…Yeah? Sure?" Richard answered with a shrug. He slapped Issei on the back hard enough to sound like a hammer had slammed against a cement wall. And then he led everyone else into the restaurant.

The only ones to remain were Sona, Jay, his Predators… and Tiamat.

"How'd you like Rossweisse?" Jay asked as soon as the party was within the building.

"I don't like her," Li Qin answered immediately. She stepped close to Issei and wrapped her arms around him. "Puppy's only Valkyrie is _me._ "

Jay gave her a smile like an adult humoring the antics of a child.

"I'm not allowed to have anymore…" grumbled Issei. "Koneko-chan is already mad at me. Ah! She's the—"

"I know," Jay put up his hand. "I'm not asking you to date Rossweisse or anything. I just wanted you to meet her. She's a huge fan of yours, you know. I think it'd be good if you sat and talked to her. Just for this night."

"I thought… you and I could talk," Issei insisted.

"We will, we will," Jay assured. "But I think you can use some pleasant company before we do. I want you to see the other side of the world. You, who live in the surface world, don't know what you've done for the supernatural world. The media lately has been absolutely nothing but antagonistic towards you. I want you to see things are better after your fight."

Issei frowned, "Better? That's not exactly the right word I would use."

"But it's accurate," Jay pointed out. " _Better._ I'm not going to deny a lot of shit was kicked up because of it. People died, yes. The brothers attacked your girls as well. But I want you to know how much good came out of it. I want you to know how many people across the globe are able to sleep at night knowing the Vampire was killed. Not by another monster. But by a _hero_ they know and respect."

"Puppy…" the Valkyrie Predator tugged on Issei's sleeve. "Sunshine's right. You should be happy! I love you no matter what! You're still my hero!"

The words rolled off of him like water. His eyes met Sona's and immediately she knew what he was thinking.

"That didn't stop people from dying from what I've done," Issei returned to Jay.

Jay's eyes hardened as his lips thinned, "Don't go saying killing the Vampire was a _mistake._ Mourn at those caught in the crossfire all you want. You'd be no better than the Vampire if you didn't. But move forward. You've lived through all the bad shoved in your face. Now I'm going to show you all the good. Or are you going to make me shove it _down your throat_?"

"Mr. Arlington," Sona stepped in. "That's enough. You can take that tone with me but I'll not let you talk to him like that. He is one of your Predators. You owe him more than a lecture. An apology would make for a good start."

There was a fire burning through her. A few hours ago and she would have concurred with a few of his statements. The logical part of her _did_ agree with him. But… now she couldn't be too sure. Not after figuring out his identity.

She couldn't trust if he was being genuine with Issei or using him for whatever twisted goal he had hidden away.

"I see you've had a change of heart," Jay smiled at her with delight. "Unfortunately, I don't give out apologies. They don't revive the dead. What I can give you, Issei, is my gratitude. I'd like to show it if you are willing to let me."

"It's not that…" Issei said slowly after looking at Sona for a bit. "It's just… about everything that's happening lately. About the Khaos Brigade. And the Evensong."

"Not here," Jay said sharply. "There are too many here who can hear us talk. Let's not talk about something so… depressing at dinner. Right now, unwind and enjoy the company of your friends. I think you can take one day off, Issei. The World will still be here."

Issei gave him a grimace without putting his heart into it. He shrugged, rubbed at the back of his head, and looked away.

"I'm going to go check on Dick then," the Ruler stepped back towards the restaurant. "Sona, I'll meet you inside."

They could have all gone with him into the building. But that was his way of telling her to begin the talk she had promised to make. It was a part of their deal in order to save her peerage. All he requested was for her to talk to Issei for a few minutes at her leisure.

She didn't like how he was forcing this moment when she had already promised to carry it out on her own.

It was also his discreet way of telling her how much he didn't trust her despite their previous conversations. It might not have been intentional; it could have been habitual because of who he really was.

"Wait! Sunshine!" Li Qin head moved from Issei to the Ruler and again. "Neh, Puppy, I'll see you inside too. Don't be too long! SUNSHINE! WAIT FOR MEEEEEE!"

As she ran off, Tiamat brushed a few fingers against Issei's arm. She had been able to sense the mood, gave him a glance, and followed the Valkyrie Predator and the Ruler of the World.

It was just Sona and Issei left outside.

The summer heat had died down as twilight began. The sun was being hidden by the buildings and hills. A gust came every now and then, gentle enough to blow the hairs at their brows. Issei scratched his cheek. Sona adjusted her glasses. Neither of them looked at another.

"I—" they both began at the same exact time.

Sona put up her hand to speak first. She didn't say anything even as she knew what to say already. It was taking more effort than the most difficult of projects for her to say what was on her mind.

"I owe you an apology," she said in a low voice. She almost didn't recognize the sound of her own voice. She could have sworn it sounded… scared.

She realized it was. She _was_ scared. Her heart was beating fast and hard. She hadn't felt this afraid of Issei since… Well, not since the events that had acknowledged him as a Predator. She wasn't afraid he would kill her though. It wasn't that kind of fear.

She was terrified… he would hate her. She had said terrible, terrible things to his face. They had been truths, but that didn't make it okay for her to tear out his heart. She insulted him, ruined the relationship they both struggled to keep afloat, and, worse of all, she had dishonored their agreement. What had been a childish and somewhat innocent wager had turned into the critical blow that left him bleeding all over the floor.

"I… was going to say the same thing."

She looked at him.

His face was downcast. He stared at his feet, not willing to face her. "I've caused you nothing but trouble. You've done so much for me. I am who I am today because of you. You… never asked me for anything. I was never smart in school. I stumbled a lot when I went on patrols. Yet you taught me how to do both. You held my hand the entire way…

"And yet I took so much away from you…"

She folded her arms around herself and held tight. Her fingers clenched against her arms as she bit back the emotions.

"I don't blame you for anything, Ise," she said slowly, carefully, as gently as can possibly be. She was stepping on glass right now. "I did at first. But I was just… angry. You. Myself. The Vampire. The Predators. The World and its entirety. All of it. But… I've had some time to think. I've calmed down and I've reassessed the situation.

"None of this was ever your fault. You were attacked first and you reacted. That's how it's been since the very beginning. You have always only been protecting yourself and what is yours. You never instigated anything. From the Vampire, from Rolan, and from the enemies of the Ruler. You are a victim of circumstances just as much as anyone else— no, more than anyone else."

Issei continued to look away from her. Though, his entire body shook.

Sona was reminded Issei was more than a defender of the planet. He was more than the wielder of the Boosted Gear, who had usurped the Welsh Dragon's might. He was more than the Dragoon Predator, one of the Ultimate Killers who could slay anything and survive against anything. He was more than a devastating force of nature that could decimate the planet if he so chose or fell into a rampage. He was more than the hero who saved lives for years as a novelty and who vanquished an evil so great it was believed to be impossible to remove.

Issei… was just a child. A very scared, very clueless, and very lonely child.

He was a social wreck. It was more than a miracle he was even mentally functional given the trauma he had received. He had watched his parents be murdered before his eyes. He hadn't any friends. And the one he did had been the same murderer in disguise all along.

For all his power, for all the potential he wielded that could end all life on the planet, Issei was still just a seventeen year old boy who hadn't the faintest idea on how to use his powers. He wasn't a schemer. He was never all that bright. And he clung to _anyone_ who gave him the briefest of attention as though his life had depended on it.

Sona had been one of those people… as had Predator Rolan.

And it was Rolan who abused this weakness. Issei had once trusted him, had been betrayed by him, and continued to this day to torment Issei.

Sona… shouldn't put all the blame on Rolan. She wasn't innocent. She had said horrendous things to Issei in an attempt to have him face facts. A strict hand wasn't what he needed. It never was. It had only made matters worse.

What he always needed was a loving hand. Issei… was more liken to an abused animal than a disobedient child. His soul was crying out, begging to be told why he had been hurt when all he wanted was… someone. Anyone.

He was… so very much like… a puppy.

…Perhaps the Valkyrie Predator was more intelligent than her appearance let on.

"I… I'm trying to make it right," Issei blurted out. "Sona… I can't make up for everything that's happened. B-But! I met this guy today. Hades. He said he owed me a favor. So… I asked him to bring back your peerage. He said he would."

Sona's thoughts came to a whirling halt.

Issei had… done _what_?

Her head snapped back to the building behind her. Had this been because of Jay's intervention? Had he compelled Issei to ask for something like this? Did the Ruler of the World command his Predator to ask for this request to the god of death?

Her heart fluttered. This was what she wanted. This was why she was here. She wanted her peerage to return to life. That's what they deserved.

But…

"What about your parents…?" she found herself asking.

He shook his head, his eyes filled with sorrow. "I did think about it. But, it's been so long since I've seen them. Too much has happened. I… don't think they'd be able to adjust… to me. I mean, look at what's happened so far. I don't think you or anyone else I care about are safe. The… enemy— they might go after you again. Just because of me. And I don't think I can protect you. I… don't want to know what will happen if I lost my parents again…"

Doubt filled him. Soul-breaking doubt that pressed down on his shoulders like weight of the planet depended on him. He had lost faith in himself. Because of recent events, he had lost faith. He didn't believe he was strong enough to keep what he treasured safe.

"Issei… look at me."

She stepped forward, cupping her hands to his face, and forcibly raised his head. Her eyes bore into his until he had no choice but to look at her.

"No plan survives the enemy," she lectured. "You are right to think you can't protect us all. But that's not the battle you face. No matter what happens, you need to be looking forward. It is from that perspective were you able to defeat the Vampire. I promise Rias and hers will always support you… as shall I. We will always support you, Ise.

"We will get hurt. We may lose some of our friends. And I won't deny I'm terrified for it. But I will regret everything if _you_ lose just because of a little doubt. Focus on defeating the enemy. Only then will we be safe. Stop the Evensong. You won't need to worry so much about protecting us if you do."

She dropped her hands but did not move away. Her eyes continued to blaze at his.

His eyes were slightly widened by her lecture.

"…Okay," he said simply.

"…Just okay?" she quirked a brow. "I had expected more of an argument from that."

He shook his head without looking away. "Sona… if you tell me something like that, of course I'll listen. Because it's you."

Her face suddenly felt very warm and she forced the stare to disengage.

"Hey… Sona…" he spoke softly, almost like a whisper. Uncertainty was in his tone. "Are we… Can we… Are you still mad at me?"

Her lips twitched once at his inquiry.

She inhaled deeply and fixed her glasses one last time before facing him again. "Yes, Ise, I suppose we're friends again."

It was like watching the most radiant dawn in her entire life rise out of the darkness. The smallest of smiles spread his lips but it was the light that glimmered in his eyes that nearly blinded her. Joy and an abundance of relief consumed him. A burden she could never hope to comprehend had been removed.

"Hah…" he released something of a chuckle as his smile broadened and he shut his eyes. He had tried to hold back the tears but they came anyways.

She pulled out a handkerchief from her vest pocket and put it in his hand. "H-Honestly, Ise, you don't need to cry over something like this. You're better than this."

Though she said that… her heart fluttered once more. A weight of her own had been removed. It felt like a vine of thorns had been uncoiled from her heart.

She was _not_ going to cry. She'd never be able to hold face in front of him ever again.

"I think we've made them wait long enough," she breathed out, mostly to get her emotions in check once more.

…It was then she heard it. That singing. Ever since she had witnessed Issei (she had to roll her eyes at the thought) grope Rias' breasts had this chorus play in the back of her mind. The sound had dulled into the lowest of whispers to the point where she could hardly hear it anymore. It was something she had forgotten.

Now, though, the volume was raised to background noise level. It wasn't clear enough for her to hear the full song but still loud enough to get her attention. It reminded her of elevator music.

It was also annoying.

 _~Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan~_

She quirked another brow. She could have _sworn_ she heard a voice within it as well. As though someone had been trying to reach out to her from a long distance. More than across the other side of the planet through phone or communication spell. It felt more like across… universes.

Given everything she had been exposed to today… it was probably best to ask for Jay's opinion about it.

"Sona? Are you coming?"

She nodded at him, "Yes. Sorry. Just a thought I had. Shall we?"

0-0-0

"Game plan!" Jay said. He huddled close to Odin and Richard, the three of them wrapping their arms over another's shoulders as they butted heads. "Dick, did you deliver the package?"

"Hexed the hostess," Richard said in a serious tone without his usual accent. "Had it spread to the servers and the cooks and all between. Anyone who hears the key phrase will know what to do."

"Good. Odin, did you bring the goods?"

"The finest of mead in all Northern Europe," Odin nodded gravely. "The same recipe that lulled the Red and White Dragons to slumber by Merlin himself. No Dragon can resist it."

"Hold a sec," Richard's eyes squinted. "Merlin was English. How'd a Saxon like you get the recipe?"

"Hmph. Albion came from _my_ territory. Who do you think told Merlin about his weakness to fine spirits?"

"Gentlemen, focus," Jay said in a hushed voice. "We've only got one chance to make this happen. Everything tonight has to be _perfect_."

"…What are you three planning?" demanded Saji from the table.

"Nothing!" Jay blurted out as all three of them stood straight, pretending they hadn't been scheming. "Just guy talk. Doesn't concern you."

Saji scowled as a few of the girls at the table giggled in good humor.

The restaurant was a decent choice. It was a local place in public Kyoto that was under the radar. Everyone sat on the floor with cushions as the staff had connected several tables together to fit everyone. Usually, they only served Japanese cuisine but under a certain compulsion spell from the Matriarch herself, all dining areas within Kyoto widened their selection for the myriad of guests from across the globe.

Jay was just glad to have some American food on the menu.

The three went back to their seats at the table and glossed over the menus.

"Odin…" Rossweisse was practically sobbing as her hands shook with how hard she was gripping the menu. "Please, please, _please_ restrain yourself tonight. I don't think I can survive a heavy blow if things become extravagant."

"Rossweisse, you need to live a little," Odin snorted. "You'll never get a boyfriend if you're so uptight about finances."

"B-B-B-B-Boyfriend…" Rossweisse's eyes suddenly hollowed out as she fell into a thousand-yard-stare. "I'm a useless valkyrie who shares the same years of being single as she's old…"

"So, Saji, how was your training with the Knights?" Jay asked aloud as he placed the menu down.

It had gotten the attention of others across the table, especially those of the Sitri peerage.

Saji glanced over to Trist and Kayla, who the former nodded and latter shrugged. "It was… short. But very tough. Like… I lost count of how many times I thought I was going to die. Never mind that creep Azazel shoved all of Vritra's Sacred Gears into me. One week of conditioning, one week of hell, one week of survival, and the last week was field. Every waking moment I thought was going to be my last."

He too fell into a thousand-yard-stare.

Ruruko at his side gave him a gentle nudge. He didn't respond.

"There they are!" Richard raised his arm and waved at the entrance. "Over here!"

Issei and Sona walked into the area and looked at the arrangements. There were two vacant just for them, side by side. Issei scratched his cheek before kneeling down on one of the cushions. Sona followed him.

She sat with Saji at her right. And Issei sat with Rossweisse at his left.

"I'm sorry for keeping you," Sona's voice was cool and professional. "Did you order already?"

"Not yet," Jay responded. "We were waiting for you to get here. But, drinks first."

He raised a hand to call for the waitress. She scurried over to their table with a notepad in hand.

"Water's all around," he said in a clear voice. The waitress blinked at him. "And we'll take those drinks now."

The waitress nodded and scribbled in her notes. She went around the table and asked only the girls for their drink order. Jay received a few curious looks but only shrugged and told them to be patient.

"So, Rossweisse, you were telling us all about your Red Blur collection?" Jay spoke up once the waitress was gone.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!" she spat out with a face as red as a tomato. "I-I-I mean… I made mention of no such thing. I-It's not like I am a Reddobura fanatic or anything… S-Surely not. I've never even heard of the Blurries…"

She was trying her hardest to not look at Issei. It was rather cute.

Ah, the Blurries. The strangest fans to the Red Blur franchise. While they were all loyal to the Red Blur as their ultimate favorite, they also worshiped the rest of the **Dragon Knight Heroes** cast. They were rivaled by the diehard White Chasisters, who _only_ worshipped the White Chaser.

Rossweisse was one such Blurry, apparently.

"I'm member number three!" Li Qin spoke up from the far end of the table, notably _furthest_ from Jay. "I know _everything_ about my husband. But I'm only at the third rank because I told them the anime is garbage…"

"Yes, it is," concurred Ophis.

"H-H-Husband?!" gasped Rossweisse.

"Eh?!" gasped Ruruko. "B-B-But doesn't Hyoudou-san have…?"

Issei waved his hand a few times, "It's not like that at all! She just calls me that. I only met her today and I can't get her to stop calling me that and that nickname."

"But Puppy is my husband," argued Li Qin through puffed cheeks. "I say so!"

Almost everyone let out a breath of air at her response. It was nothing more than the childish impulse of make-pretend.

"I'll never understand this fascination over such a mediocre showcase," Tiamat said from her edge, also far from Jay purposely. "Ddraig was a living embodiment of terror. The children had nightmares in fear of his arrival. Now they wish to emulate him? I do not understand."

"B-Because the Red Blur is a hero!" Rossweisse blurted out, her hands pressed against the table and scarcely resisting the urge to rise to her feet. "The Welsh Dragon at one point did terrorize the old world, yes. But today, that power is put to use in protecting those who cannot fight. Monsters have been slain and tragedies have been stopped. He who stole the authorities of Gaia and the Biblical God was slain by the Red Blur!"

The only one clapping for her short speech was Ophis.

Rossweisse's face burned hot enough to pour steam out of her ears. She sat back down and tucked her head until her bangs hid her eyes.

"But what about the Red Storm?" Issei questioned. "Fighting the Vampire came at a price."

"War always does," Odin responded grimly. "The foundation of one thing must come from the remains of another."

"It… is a tragedy in itself," Rossweisse agreed, though it sounded like she had to force herself to say it. "However, I must agree with Lord Odin. That monstrosity had to be destroyed. The Biblical God had His followers push our pantheon to the brink of extinction. And Gaia spawned the Frost and Flame Giants that will one day bring about Ragnarok. Both combined in the hands of a madman was worse than can be possibly imagined. We celebrated upon learning his death."

Issei was quiet as he mulled over Rossweisse's words.

"Everyone up in the Magistrate celebrated too, ya know," Richard spoke up. "Had a couple fudge ups against him. Real nasty things. Got a whole orphanage full of victims that went through what you did. And worse. Fudge, do you remember the Holy Sword Project? Did anyone tell ya where those kids came from?"

Issei's lips pursed. He knew.

"R-Reddobura-sama," Rossweisse faced Issei. Her crystalline blue eyes were lit up. "I cannot express to you how grateful we are for what you have done. Nor can we begin to comprehend the sacrifices you had to have made. But I know I can speak for all of the Norse mythology when I say… thank you. For defeating the Vampire, you have put us in a peace we've never thought to have seen."

"My doors are always open to you, lad," Odin said while stroking his beard. "I hear you're a breast man. I respect that. Some of the valkyries have the biggest knockers in all of Europe!"

"O-Odin!" Rossweisse sputtered.

"You gotta flaunt them if you want to catch his eyes, Rossweisse," Odin barked out with laughter. "If you remain shrewd you'll never get a boyfriend."

His words struck her like a heavy blow to the head. Her head slammed onto the table as she began to sob without hesitation.

The waitress returned with another behind her. They both had trays full of water and colored drinks in various glasses. Everyone received at least one glass of water. Wines, ales, spirits, and liquor were spread out to mostly the men. Sodas were given to everyone else. Tiamat was the only woman who requested a glass of wine.

The Knights of the Round, plus Saji, only drank water.

Ophis had juice in a smaller glass.

…And Vali had iced tea in a White Chaser sippy cup.

"…That's not funny," he said sourly to the cup.

Ophis' eyes lit up at the sight of it. Vali sighed and switched drinks with her. There was some relief in being able to drink into an open glass.

"Um… what is this?" Issei asked as he raised his glass.

It was a somewhat dark liquid. The stench of alcohol could hit him with his draconian senses. The waitress had just placed it in front of him without question.

"Mead," answered Odin. "The drink of heroes."

"That's… nice and all…" he said awkwardly, trying to be polite but also considering his own age. "But I'm underage. I don't think…"

His eyes glimpsed at Sona for an instant.

"Hmph," Odin snorted. "Lad, in my country, if you're old enough to draw blood then you're old enough to drink. I'll not force you. But I ask you to make a toast with me. I'd like to drink with the hero who made the world a better place to sleep at night."

Issei's lips thinned with uncertainty. But he sighed and accepted Odin's offer.

Odin raised his glass of dark ale, "To the Red Blur! For valor and courage! May his legend be sung in the halls of Valhalla forevermore!"

The rest raised their glasses. Some to hold the same respect Odin had for his triumph, some to be polite, and the rest to simply be a part of the crowd. One such was Tiamat, who raised her glass only to play along with the antics.

Issei took a small sip from the mead. Instantly he drew the glass back with eyes widened with surprise.

"Wow!" he said, exasperated. "That's _really_ good. What is this stuff again?"

"Mead," Odin replied with a smile. "Heroes would drink it after a long voyage into the land of mist. If they survived, they would return to their wives and drink with their brothers and sing of the glories they have seen. It is the drink of heroes."

"Mr. Arlington?" Sona spoke up. "Is something the matter? You've been staring at me."

Jay blinked as he caught himself. "Oh… uh… Just… you seem… happy! Everything came out a-okay?"

She nodded slowly, her brows slightly lowered with skepticism. "Yes… I believe Ise and I came to an accord."

"That's good, that's good…" Jay said with a stretched smile. He put up a finger to ask her to wait as he leaned in towards Richard's shoulder. He whispered into his ear with urgency, "I thought you said it was going to be in the main drinks!"

"No, _I_ said the potion won't work unless it's in something pure," Richard hushed back. "Like the alcohol or, lemme think, water! Why do ya think that was the trigger? Water all around? _Water._ It's in her water."

The two of them watched as Sona brought the water up to her lips, took a small sip, raised a brow when noticing her staring…

…And nothing else happened.

The two of them leaned the other way, so that the Ruler of the World leaned against Odin's shoulder and Richard against Jay's.

"Whatever you do," Jay's voice was in a frenzy as he barely maintained a low whisper, " _don't_ drink the water. We lost track on who has the love potion."

Odin kept a perfectly level head as he continued to drink his ale. Someone of his breed would never dare to drink something that could dilute alcohol.

"No problem," he said without worry.

They leaned away from him until the Lord Archmage and the Ruler of the World leaned against the other back in their original seating.

"What did you tell the hostess?"

"We had the seating arranged from the plan, yeah?" Richard raised his fingers and began to count with them. "Supposed to be just six of us. But then Sona brings her peerage. Fine. We adjusted. Then you mention _Odin_ at the last second. Fine. We adjusted. Then the bloody Dra'cueri Queen, her plus one, Tia—"

"Don't call me that, magician," Tiamat snapped.

He waved her off… ignoring the fact she could hear their entire conversation. "Then enters the questionable legal and the two Rounders. That's a lot of peeps to keep track of. Especially with the seating arrangements and planning on who gets what glass."

Jay waited silently until Richard stopped counting.

"I'm off… by one."

Both their eyes glanced upwards.

Odin glanced their way, saw their reaction, and flicked his eyes towards what they were looking at. He nearly choked on his ale.

Rossweisse.

…Who was taking a sip from her water.

"NOOOOOO!" the three of them screamed for their life.

0-0-0

 _ **The Peak of Humanity**_

 _ **Section Two: The Dravirik Lae'cueri**_

At the End of All Things, humanity has continued to thrive by evolving into creatures that can freely choose to live with or without the Original Laws that define existence. That is to say, to a certain degree, they have their own interpretation of existence and can choose to follow it.

The second of these creatures are revered as the _Dravirik Lae'cueri,_ or more commonly referred to as _Dra'cueri._ They are a group of human who have evolved by emulating the Primordial and Original Lawmakers. By learning how Laws are composed, they have been able to create their own interpretations of the wordless script and brand it onto their bodies.

Their names come from a forgotten language of the first World during the Primordial Age— a time when there was but one World and where the Primordial Lawmakers fought against another for dominance in how the omniverse was to be designed. Their name means 'Kings of Ancients Greater than Man'. The slang term _Dra'cueri_ , however, means a completely different translation: 'Dragon Lord'.

The Dra'cueri are corporeal beings that equal even the mightiest of Primordial Lawmakers. And, thanks to their understanding of the Laws, the Dra'cueri can even repel Original Law to a certain degree.

After all, the Dra'cueri originate from the Furthest Future— a place in which all of existence has reached its end. It is said the Dra'cueri age backwards, but it is exactly the opposite. Because _we_ see them growing younger as we progress forward in time, it is not the same for them. The Dra'cueri simply go backwards, going against the currents of our time and directly defying the Original Law of Progress.

Each Dra'cueri is branded with at least one mark upon birth. There are seven in total but only _one_ Dra'cueri may obtain all seven. All else can only obtain six of these marks. The seventh must be earned by a feat of conquest against he who wields the seventh mark.

The marks are:

Steps, located at the ankles.

Seduction, located at the lower back.

Flight, located at the upper back.

Craft, located at the back of the hands.

Speech, located on the tongue.

Crown, located around the cranium.

And the Right of Authority, which may only appear as a presence rather than a visual mark. This mark can only be obtained by conquest. And he who wields it is declared King or Queen of all their kind.

Despite their feats in escaping the clutches of the Abyss at the End of All Things, the Dra'cueri are too few in numbers. And they are perceived as Outsiders by the Originals and are endlessly persecuted by them and their Valkyries.

One such way of preserving their species is by copying their marks onto a willing host. However, the host _must_ earn the mark of their own. In order to do so, the host, a human and _only_ a human, must challenge the likes of a Primordial being in their true form and best them in one of the six feats dependent of the mark.

This ritual is called Gifting and _only_ the wielder of the Right of Authority may deliver the Gifts upon achieving the requirements. Once given, the host is able to perform the same feats as the Dra'cueri.

However… unlike the Dra'cueri, each activation of their marks requires a certain sacrifice. Every activation costs one percent of their existence to be devoured by the marks.

In the end, the marks accept the host and ascend them as another Dra'cueri.

Or, in most cases, the marks devour the host and remove them from existence entirely.


	13. Hide, so the World will never find you

His head was ringing.

It had been ringing for a few hours but he lacked the strength to pay it any mind. He had been distracted with… something. But as he slept, too deep to dream of anything and to react unless the World manifested as a person and physically pulled him to his feet, the ringing grew louder and louder. It became so annoying it was hurting his head.

He regretted opening his eyes. The World had warned him— more like someone had been nagging in his ear than forewarning him of harm— but he didn't listen. His head rang as though a wind-up alarm clock was going off inside his skull. Plus, gazing up at the ceiling gave him such a horrendous sense of vertigo the entire room was spinning.

He felt sick.

It was like learning how to use the Gift of Flight all over again. Going as fast as the conceptual speed of thought had been the worst rollercoaster ride of his life.

But, he shut his eyes, leaned his head against the pillow, and took a few deep breaths. It did little to stop his head from splitting open but it worked wonders against the nausea. Colors swam in his vision behind his eyelids. But he forced them to go away.

His limbs felt ridiculously heavy. True, something was shackling them down, but he was more than strong enough to pry himself free. The World assured him. It was his mind that refused to relay this message to his limbs, however.

He eventually had to sit up or he'd puke where he lay.

His joints screamed at him when he lifted himself into a sitting position. He pulled his hands to his face and used them to shield his eyes from the light. The curtains were closed but still the morning sunlight peeked through just enough to land directly on his face.

Being a Devil sucked right now.

Being a Predator, with the World as his alarm clock, was even worse.

All he wanted to do was crawl into a dark corner and hide. He felt miserable. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this sick. Maybe grade school when he had the flu.

But the World didn't seem to give a single fuck. It continued to bombard him with an endless stream of information regarding his position and all else around him.

…He wasn't alone.

He turned his head (which was an aggravating effort no matter how small) and peeked one eye through a slit in his fingers. He spotted a broad and muscular yet attractively feminine back. When he sat up, he had pulled the sheets off of her until they rested at the top of her shapely rear. He recognized the main of cobalt blue hair.

Tiamat slept on her stomach, her head turned to the side and arms cradled underneath. She looked so serene as she slept. She was truly something else when she didn't have her vicious scowl.

On his other side was… another woman. She had long silver hair and a heart-shaped face. She was also naked and had less blankets to cover herself. He could see everything about her from her head all the way down to her tender thighs. The skin under her suit had been so milky and smooth he found himself staring at her more than he should.

Rossweisse had a great pair of tits. The color and size of her nipples were just perfect. Horrendous headache and seasick nausea wasn't enough to keep him away from admiring her form.

The carpet matched the drapes, he noticed.

The last person in the room, however, was _not_ a woman. Fortunately, this person had been fully clothed.

Odin sat on the floor in the corner with his head against the wall and mouth wide open. He snored loudly and there was a bottle of some sort of alcoholic beverage half-finished in his grip.

Issei had no idea where they were. The room was large— just as large as the one Rias had renovated back in his house. And the furnishings were rich and elegant and _expensive._ Though they were all on a futon, it was probably the most comfortable thing he had rested on. Tatami mats made the floor and there were several sliding doors connecting to other rooms of this apartment.

The World was telling him he was still in the palace within the Youkai territory.

"What…" his voice was sore and his throat itched. "What happened?"

"Who said dat?!" Odin snapped awake. He took a few heavy sniffs to clear his sinuses, blinked a number of times, and eventually saw Issei. "Oh. Lad. It's you. Good morning…"

Odin snorted one last time before raising the bottle to his lips and taking a long drink.

Issei stared at him through narrowed eyes. It was still too bright for him to see normally. "Odin-san… were you here the entire night?"

"Aye…" said the Primordial Lawmaker after his swig. "You ate the key to my room. Thought it was funny. And it was…"

He took another drink after that.

Just watching him drink made Issei sick to his stomach. He had to shake his head to force back the nausea… which made his head scream bloody murder. He had to clutch at some of his hair in order to—

A flash of memory rudely made its way to the surface of his thoughts. He remembered grabbing someone by the hair. Hard, yet just right to have her begging for more. He remembered someone screaming in ecstasy, calling out his name repeatedly.

And there were tears. Someone had been crying. Rossweisse? Tiamat? Had _he_ been crying?

It all seemed like a garbled mess. Images flashed through his mind faster than he could analyze them. He couldn't keep up. A sharp pain stabbed at his head when he tried to recall them for a second look.

"What happened last night?" he asked.

"You don't remember?" Odin asked with the expectations Issei already didn't.

It didn't stop the Dragon from glaring at him.

"One of the craziest nights I've ever had…" Odin snorted with a gleeful smile. "I haven't pillaged and raided like that since my earliest days. How many bars did we get kicked out of…? All of them, I think. We ended up coming back here and…"

He gestured to the room in general. Bottles of wine and sake were spread out. There even a few pyramids stacked against the wall. Issei spotted the discarded (and shredded) remains of Tiamat's and Rossweisse's clothing.

In one corner of the room was his duffle bag, wide open. And beside was the box of the Predator Pieces had brought along… and the box Archibald Lolifor, the First Predator, had shipped to him.

The birthday wrapping on it had been torn off and the lid was removed. The box was on its side with it facing towards Issei. There was nothing inside.

Cold washed over him.

"That box," Issei pointed to the present. "What was in the box? Do you know?"

Odin raised his brows as he leered over to where Issei was pointing at. He blinked a few times and then squinted his eyes in thought. "Ah… Ah! That. It was empty when you opened it. There was a note. Not sure where it went… It said something about whatever was supposed to be inside was now your problem. I do remember this little voice coming from your arm say it had downloaded something.

"It also said it had to delete your porn history to make room in your brain. We drank grieving over such a loss."

Download? Voice from his arm?

Vorpal. The sword he had received from—

Pain lanced through his head as he tried to remember.

Vorpal. Vorpal. Vorpal… He couldn't remember _how_ he came across it. But it should come back to him in due time.

It must have taken whatever was inside the box. And, without a doubt, the stupid thing had to cut something out of his memory to make space. It couldn't cut out the trauma he had against the Vampire?! No! It had to remove his _entire_ porn history— all of the memories he had reading doujinshi, playing eroge, or watching H-movies!

…How many countless hours had he spent his life on dating simulators?! Wasted! Gone forever! He couldn't even remember the latest one! Nothing but blank darkness came to his mind when he tried to remember!

"…That's not fair," he sniffed, trying to hold back the single tear and failing.

Odin nodded with utmost sympathy.

"What about Sona?" he asked. "And everyone else? What happened to them? Did… Did I hurt anybody?"

"I think you were a little rough with Rossweisse but she seemed to be into it," Odin gave a sagely nod while he stroked his beard. "You also made Tiamat there cry after giving her a kiss. Said it was the happiest moment of her life. But as for your friends? They're fine. They made it back to their rooms safe and sound. Probably."

He shrugged and took another drink.

Issei bit back the headache and searched for them using the World. Odin's words held some truth. Sona and her peerage were down the hallway. Richard was in the dining area for breakfast with his Clockwork Jinni following his every step. Ophis and Vali were wandering through the gardens.

Ophis stared back at him, tilting her head slightly. She waved at him.

Li Qin was sleeping away, sprawled across her bed with her mouth wide open. She peeked one eye open as soon as he drew on her presence. She glowered at him, turned her back on his metaphysical senses, and went back to sleep.

The Knights Kayla and Trist were awake, having a cup of tea in Li Qin's room and watching her fidget around.

"Everyone seems okay…" Issei scratched the ridge of his brow. "But, really, last night… what happened?"

As he scratched his brow, he noticed something. It was a silver band woven out of silver hair, tied in knots around his ring finger.

His _left_ ring finger.

"…What's this?" he asked as he tried to remove it. Magic made the band clutch tighter against his finger. The World was telling him if he pulled hard enough to peel off his skin, the ring would sink through until it wrapped around his bone. Only tearing off his finger would remove it.

Odin chose to not answer. He instead drank the last of the bottle.

It was then someone groaned. Rossweisse. Her face contorted with pain as she forced herself to sit up. Her hands gripped around her head as she fought against a similar headache.

"Ow, ow, ow," she hissed through squinted eyes. "My head. Where am I…? What happened to… my… clothes?"

Her eyes widened as she saw Issei. Seeing him was probably the last thing she expected first thing in the morning. And then… her eyes slowly traced down his face to stare at his naked chest.

It took a few moments for her mind to piece everything together.

Her face turned scarlet in a flash. She screamed and retched the sheets over herself until only her eyes peered over.

"H-H-H-H-H-Hyoudou-sama!" her voice shook. "W-W-W-What are you doing in my bed?! Why are you n-n-n-n-naked?! Why am I naked?! Did you?! Did we?! What have we done?!"

"Too… loud…" growled Tiamat as she rose from her position. She was the only one who hadn't been hindered by the previous night's activities. Her movements were flawless as she twisted her body around into a sitting position.

"T-T-T-Tiamat-sama as well?!" Rossweisse shrieked. Now her entire body was shaking. "What have I done?! What's going on?! Why are all of us in bed and, and, and, and…"

Issei watched as Rossweisse's complexion rapidly changed from red, to pale, to almost green.

Odin groaned as he reached for the trash bin with his foot. He toyed with it until it moved enough for him to kick it across the room. It bounced and rolled until it was in front of Rossweisse.

She reached for it as quick as lighting… and then hurled everything in her stomach into it.

Seeing her puke sent a new wave of nausea to Issei. He almost rushed for the bathroom but took a deep breath and swallowed. The nausea was pushed back after a few seconds.

"Ddraig~" purred Tiamat. Her arms moved around him; one over his shoulder to cup his cheek and the other around his bicep to stroke his chest. She pressed her lips against his other shoulder and kissed him gently. "I wish you a good morning…"

His brain melted by her touch and then froze by her loving tone. The gray matter had basically become a solid mass of ice cream.

Without warning, Tiamat let out a girlish gasp found on someone half her age appearance and pushed him away. Her draconian strength had his face kiss the matt.

"I-I-It's not like you did anything special to deserve that!" she sputtered. She turned her head away from him while her eyes flicked towards his and away repeatedly. She crossed her arms to cover her breasts and stammered some more. "D-D-Do not think I forgive you for forgetting me! I don't care about how long I missed being ravished by you! Do you hear me?! Do not think to console me with your gentle head pats from your strong hands…"

Her face was beat-red as she forced herself to look away sullenly. And failed. She continued to glimpse his way.

…Tiamat was being tsun-tsun with him?

What happened last night?!

Rossweisse forced herself to stop to take a few breaths of air.

And then she went back in for Round Two.

Issei rubbed her back as she spewed just about every color of the rainbow.

Her hand snapped up and grabbed his arm as soon as he touched her. She gasped and forced her body back in control as her head swiveled around. Gunk dripped off her lips as her eyes were wide in an alarmed, frenzied panic.

She caught was she was doing and unhanded him, though no amount of strength from her could have hurt him. She drew her hand back and looked at it as though it had a mind of its own. She looked betrayed by it.

Her head looked upwards with her eyes staring at nothing. Her head was tilted to the side and gradually turning as though listening to something and trying to find its source.

Issei's heart stopped beating. He recognized the signs.

Rossweisse was hearing the whispers of the World.

"…Ddraig," he heard Tiamat calling for him and sending him subliminal messages with her glaring for him to give her that patting.

He ignored her in favor of the bigger emergency. Let her break him in half again in her transformed state. There was something he _had_ to check.

He was kneeling in front of the dark wood box in a blink, dragging the sheets halfway across the room in his swift leap. His limbs felt sluggish and his fingers nearly broke the lock as he tried to unlatch the hook. He also almost shattered the lid when he forced it open.

Another one of the pieces were missing.

 _"Dis iz a… a…"_

 _"Daz'a Rook."_

 _"A Rook! Gee, Rosh-tan, yur smurt."_

 _"Bwahahaha~ Silly husband. You called meh Rosh. Iz Rovevish… Roshveesh… Rosh… Rrrrroooosssshhhhhveeeeeesssseeee."_

 _"Ya. 'Zactly. Yurmah wife now. You deserve deh besh!"_

 _"Dis valkurry ish shooooo happy~ I getz dur besh peesh."_

 _"Rosh… why you cryin'?"_

 _"Cuz I've been shingle fur shooooooo looo— HIC— oooooong! An' now I haz DEH besh hushband in alllllllll de wurd!"_

 _"Ddraig, I'll never understand your fixation with these mundane women."_

 _"Be nish, Tia-nee… Rosh-tan hash a great… boobies. She's purty and has great boobies and ish smart and has great boobies and is purty and…"_

 _"T-T-Tia… -nee?! I… T-That is… Y-Yes Ddraig. I'm sorry."_

 _"Daz gewd. Ah, Tia-nee has nice bewbies too. Right, Rosh-tan?"_

 _"Meh… hushband… no lookin' at others but meh. But, I gesh iz a'ight since shez yur shishter. Dat makes her mah shishter too… heheh."_

 _"You are no such sister of mine."_

 _"Tia-nee, sit!"_

 _"Arf!"_

 _"Daz a good Tia-nee. Good… gewd Tia-nee. Waaaaaah. She's lickin' meh like a pup. Dat tickles. Eh? Tia-nee? Why ya gettin' under mah shirt? Do dogs do dat…?"_

 _"Hushband! Odeen fell asheep. Lez com… con… conshum— pfffffft hehehehe— complete our mirage. Meredge. Murige. Meeeeaaaarrrrraaaaagggggeeeee."_

 _"Yah, yah! Here ya go, Rosh-tan. I'ma inshurt it now. Tell meh if it hursh."_

 _"Pffffffft! You said inshurt. Iz like we doing it… Oh… Hush…band. I… sho warm… hawt. Sho hawt. Hushband… lookin' hawt too. Closh. Lez rid of closh. You don' need'a shirt!"_

"…Lad? Lad? Lad!"

Issei's hand caught Odin's cane before it was about to smack him at the back of the head. His body had acted on its own, working on autopilot as it reacted from the telling of the World. It wasn't the World that made him snap out of the memory. It was him physically responding to the strike that pulled him back to the present.

His head hurt ten times more than it did when he awoke.

Odin drew back his cane and rested his hands at the top of it. He hunched over Issei while rubbing his thumbs together. "You good there, Ddraig? You were spacing out for a while."

Issei shut the box very carefully, which took a bit of effort as his hands were shaking.

The ring on his finger held far more gravity than when he first saw it. It felt like it had the entire weight of the planet.

It was made out of silver thread. It was made out of _Rossweisse's_ hair.

"…Married?" The word had come out as a whisper. It tasted so strange in his mouth. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to be feeling about this. "I… I can't be married. I'm only seventeen!"

"Hmm?" Odin leaned over to see what Issei was staring at. "Oh. That. Well, lad, that's… quite the predicament you got yourself involved in. Celtic weaving knots and blessed magic? Out of Rossweisse's hair no less."

"M-M-Married?!" Rossweisse came back to the present world. "W-W-With _my_ hair?! I'm married to Hyoudou-sama?! How could this have happened?! Lord Odin, only someone with authority in our society can bless the… rings…"

Rings. Plural. A matching ring was wrapped around Rossweisse's finger made out of Issei's brown hair. The same divine magic coursed through it.

It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"YOU DID THIS?!" Issei was on his feet with his hands grabbing ahold of Odin's robes and shaking him. "Why would you marry us?! We barely met yesterday! I can't be _married_! I hardly know a thing about her!"

"That didn't stop you from taking you to her bed, Ddraig," Tiamat said in the back with a sharp tone. An accusing tone. She glowered at him. It didn't hold her usual frosty edge to it. It was something more akin to the mean glare Koneko would give him.

…She was still upset about not getting a head pat? Seriously?!

"I have to agree with Tiamat on this one," Odin said as he put his calloused and withered hands on top of Issei's. Despite his apparent age, he still had the body of a god and had the strength to force Issei to stop shaking him. "In my country, son, taking a maiden's purity is the same as claiming them for yourself. If you don't take responsibility for your actions, it would be a great dishonor to Rossweisse."

"Bullshit," Issei spat. "You married us _before_ we did it. I can remember that much at least. WHY WOULD YOU MARRY US?!"

Odin deflated after his excuse backfired. He looked away and scratched his cheek. "I… Well… I might have indulged a little too much myself. I might not have been fully aware of my actions. It sounded like a good idea at the time."

"Lord Odin, WHHYYYYYYYYYY—"

Midway screaming, Rossweisse cut herself off to have Round Three with the trashcan.

0-0-0

 _~H… He… Hello…?~_

Sona awoke… still in the academy uniform from last night.

She rose up from her elbows as her mind went through the routine checkup done every day. A list of things needed to be done played out as usual from morning hygiene practices to the itinerary for today's meeting. But while those ran through her head, the surface of her mind tried to get a hold on her surroundings, her current condition… and what happened last night.

She remembered… very little. There was something in Rossweisse's drink that had been intended for Sona. A love potion with Issei having the other half of the brew mixed in with his drink. When she demanded answers from the Ruler…

Jay had pulled out one of those pellets he kept in his wallet. He brought it down, there was a flash of light…

And here Sona was.

Ruruko and Tomoe were still asleep on their futons and still dressed in their Kuoh Academy uniforms.

 _~…me? I… peat… Can… hear me…?~_

She didn't know how they had all gotten to their rooms. A quick check on all of them left no signs for drugging or magical intoxications. Their clothes were a little ruffled from sleeping awkwardly but there were no signs they had been harmed in any way. Whoever had brought them to their room had been careful and made sure they were comfortable.

A small part of Sona relaxed. Only a small part. While she and her peerage were unharmed, there was still the missing memories that bothered her. She had— after checking the clock on the mantle— slightly less than twelve hours in the dark.

 _~Is this… on? Testing! One… three!~_

She had enough. She should have confronted Jay as soon as she figured out his identity. How stupid she was to believe she could minimalize the damages if she kept an eye on him. Jay had proven to be smarter than her numerous times.

After all, as he once said, he had been playing with her since they chatted on the computer.

But first, she needed to splash some water on her face. Priorities. There was no way she was going to have a chat with the Ruler of the World with dried up drool.

…Come to her surprise when she stepped into the bathroom did she find Saji. Her Pawn was leaning into the bathtub with his rear sticking out facing the door. He was snoring away.

"Saji…?" she knelt down and shook him. "Saji. Wake up."

"Bweh? Wha?" His eyes fluttered open and she watched him force the sleep back with practiced ease. He was fully awake in a flash and had gotten his bearings in order. He was climbing out of the tub, holding back a groan from being awkwardly positioned since the evening.

"What is it, Kaichou?" he asked, ready for orders rather than being concerned for his own wellbeing. He blushed as he came to his own conclusion. "Uh… Do you need to use the bathroom? Sorry. I'll get out of your way."

 _~It says connection… green. Is it coming… other end? No? That's… too.~_

"Stay still," she ordered. "Saji, are you okay? Do you remember anything from last night?"

"I'm… fine," he said after examining himself. He rubbed at his stomach, where most of the pressure from where he slept aggravated him, but sat seiza style right after. He shut his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and tried to answer her question.

Insight flashed in his eyes when next they opened.

"Hyoudou-san and Rossweisse-san went off on their own after Arlington-sama fled from the restaurant. We couldn't stop them. My memory after that is… groggy. I remember flashes only. We tried to follow Hyoudou-san and Rossweisse-san. They were with Odin-sama, that creep Azazel, and a few other leaders from other factions. There were a lot of different places we were at. I remember… opening the door here for us… and that's about it. I'm sorry."

"…No, that's more than enough," she said after some thought. She couldn't remember any of what he had just shared. "I think I can gather the rest on my own. Thank you, Saji."

"Of course," he said with a single nod. "Kaichou, are the others alright? I don't remember if they were hurt but…"

"They're fine," she assured. "Just sleeping. I'll be having a word with Arlington-san in a bit."

Saji's face hardened, "Would you like me to be there, Kaichou?"

It was almost insistent but he didn't step out of his place. She could tell how badly he wanted to be there.

 _~Helllooooooo! Can any… hear meeeeee?~_

"That won't be necessary," she shook her head and stood. "I would prefer if you stay here in case Ruruko and Tomoe wake up. It would be good for them to see a familiar face rather than being alone. You can inform them should they ask."

He frowned at it but accepted her orders with a nod. She was trying to protect him, all things considered. Given _who_ Jay really was, Saji wouldn't be able to oppose him should things turn into a fight. His training with the Knights of the Round hadn't hardened him enough to withstand anything against the best the world had to offer.

"But before that," she removed her glasses to examine them. There were a few smudges on them and she frowned at that. "Would you mind stepping out? I need to make a call. I'd do it out there but I don't want to wake them just yet."

He nodded again at her logic, stood, and excused himself.

 _~This is the Debauch Realm contacting the 3x3 Kings' Realm! Please respond if—~_

"Who is this?" Sona asked aloud as soon as she locked the door and put a seal on top of it. Sound wouldn't be able to get through and she could have this conversation in private.

 _~Garter belts and pantyhose! You can hear me?! *******, suck it! We made contact!~_

A wave of distortion crashed onto Sona like a freight train going full throttle. The wind was knocked out of her as she fell to her knees. Her hands reached for anything to grab onto and she had a split second to brace herself before cushioning her fall. She managed to catch herself by planting her palms against the floor. Her body was burning as sweat started to soak through her skin.

This voice in her head… it was the same melodious noise at the back of her head since the other day. But now, for reasons she couldn't understand, was as clear and distracting as ever.

It responded to her when she demanded an answer. It had replied in her tongue but said _something_ so foreign all of reality shuddered. Reality couldn't comprehend what it was. It felt like a ridiculously high frequency that melted the brain since it couldn't be perceived.

"…Ow," the word escaped her lips as she sat up. She placed her back on the edge of the tub and tried to regain her breathing.

The voice in her head made a noise as though clearing its throat. Sona could imagine the being on the other end even stand up a little straighter.

 _~Greetings. I am the breast loving deity from the Outside. My identity cannot be comprehended within your Realm, for we do not have names as you do. But in your tongue, I can be best interpreted as… the Chichigami. Am I speaking to the Switch Princess, Rias Gremory?~_

Sona took a moment to think to herself. She didn't know where to begin…

For one, the voice in her head was claiming to be a _breast loving_ deity. It named itself the Chichigami. It was, if what it said was true, a goddess of _breasts._

Second, it had known the name of her childhood friend.

"No," Sona decided to say after a short while. She also debated about giving away her name. But nothing would be gained if she didn't give something. "This is Sona Sitri. How do you know about Rias—"

 _~Sona Sitri?!~_

The voice sounded baffled.

…And then, it sounded scorned.

 _~I see. I understand now why the ritual failed to awaken the Oppai Dragon. The Switch Princess can only belong to the maiden whose breasts are cherished the most by the Oppai Dragon. You've left quite the impression on him when you used them to harm him, Sona Sitri.~_

Sona removed her glasses once more to rub the ridge between her eyes. Now this deity was mentioning something called an _Oppai_ Dragon? Really? Really?!

"…Does this have anything to do with Hyoudou Issei?" she groaned, already knowing the answer and couldn't believe she was actually having this conversation with a voice in her head.

The voice sounded struck.

 _~Does it?! I most certainly say it does! We have watched him closely since discovering he is the Oppai Dragon. We have seen the wound you inflicted on his heart. It was Rias Gremory whose breasts he compared all others to. But when you turned your back on him and used your wager as a weapon was an impression branded. He, who respected your breasts, now craves to see them in the purest of light.~_

Sona sat still while her mind thought on its own. The goddess was mentioning that time in the Student Council office, where Issei had confronted her. They once had a small bet; if he could beat her in a game of chess then she would allow him to see her breasts. She agreed, mainly because she heavily believed he wouldn't be able to win against her in a couple years and had _plenty_ of time to be mentally prepared.

She underestimated his perversity. He had crushed her in the same match they made the wager.

However, she didn't honor the spirit of the deal. It was supposed to be a reward. He even told her she didn't have to oblige. Instead, she had given him what he had asked just so they would have nothing between them. She had washed her hands of Issei at that moment and turned her back against him.

The gesture had him leaving her with tears falling. It was a face she could never forget.

…And this deity was talking about _that_ incident.

"You're a voice in my head," Sona's voice was dead. "This is nothing but guilt. I've finally lost it. And here I thought Ise and I were starting to be friends again. What must I do to exorcise this demon within me?"

 _~I am not a figment of your imagination… Sona Sitri, I have made contact in hopes to awaken the Oppai Dragon. He is the herald who shall be the salvation for all. He is the key that may end the Abyss and save my Realm and yours. But to do that… we are in dire need of his Switch Princess. The Oppai Dragon cannot awaken without his Switch Princess. That role… must fall onto you.~_

"This isn't guilt…" she muttered while patting her chest. "This is pity. You're my self-esteem. I've accepted long ago my breasts will never be as big as Rias', but I highly doubt Ise cares all that much about them. He's the sort that will go for anyone with breasts."

 _~You underestimate the eye of the Oppai Dragon. He sees the potential in all breasts. He loves all kinds. It is said in the prophecy he loves the biggest of them all. But, upon recent events, the interpretation may have been eschewed. Rather than perceiving it as a measurement of size… it might have been a completely different measurement of worth.~_

…There was a prophecy involved?

 _~Sona Sitri, the Oppai Dragon has chosen you to be his Switch Princess. He adores your breasts over all else. You are destined to be with him. Will you—~_

"I am not having this conversation with a voice in my head," she snapped and stood. She moved to the sink and turned on the faucet. "If you are real, then go bother Ise. I'm sure he'd love to hear everything you have to say about breasts. If you're just a hallucination, then please try to keep quiet. I've a lot to deal with on my own."

She splashed cold water on her face and rubbed her eyes. The brisk sensation soothed her.

 _~Making contact with the Oppai Dragon is… difficult. It requires him to have an antenna linking his psyche to pair of breasts. You are a maiden set on the Laws of the 3x3 Kings. I understand your confusion and doubt. This prophecy comes from our Laws, which exist Outside your Realm. But if you wish for proof, all you need do is recite any passage from the holy texts. You already know one such line.~_

 _Zoom, Zoom, Iyaan,_ played in Sona's head. It was the most annoying jingle she had ever heard. It made her eyes narrow.

 _~I will leave you, Sona Sitri. When you have your proof, all you need do is call for me. I shall answer. I will then tell you of your importance as Switch Princess and what it may mean to your lover.~_

Now Sona put on the brakes.

"Ise and I _are not_ lovers," she glared at the mirror. "We are mutual friends. Nothing more."

She glowered further when she felt the deity tilt its head and _smirked._ It was one of those annoying smirks belonging to someone who thought they knew more than the other. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Sona cared for Issei. That much was true. But to be called his _lover_? That was an entirely different topic and she could say, while looking directly in the mirror and saying aloud without hesitation, that there was nothing romantic between them.

Oh, sure, she might have on occasion thought he was cute. And he did have a nice body… Likewise, she knew Issei had thought of her the same way. She caught him peeking at her legs whenever she sat or staring at her chest.

But their relationship had been strictly professional for a year and a half. It had been on thin ice, more like. It was only within the past few months did she decide to take the leap of faith and trust him to not squash her like a bug. They became friends and _only_ friends.

Add in the emotional problems going on between them and there was no hope of having a romantic relationship for either of them. Period.

Honestly, Sona was astonished Issei had forgiven her. Assuming he did, actually. Issei could still loath her for all she knew. It's just his desperate need for attention that allowed her to enter his life again.

…They still didn't settle their matters, anyhow. There was still the Rating Game against Rolan that needed to be discussed.

There was no noise. But Sona just knew the connection between her and this supposed goddess of _breasts_ (which still made her ponder if she finally snapped) had been cut off. Sona's mind was hers at last.

Not that it changed much. The Chichigami had been nothing more than a distraction.

She gripped both ends of the sink and stared deeper into the mirror. She took a long deep breath, held it, and exhaled when her vision began to swim.

She had a Ruler to confront.

0-0-0

The room of the Ruler of the World was nothing she had expected. She knew Jay had lived in small quarters and had a tight budget for food and clothing. But, still, he was the Ruler of the World and him attending a meeting full of Lawmakers over political matters _should_ have given him some merits.

Nope.

When Sona threw open the sliding door connecting her rooms and Jay's… she paused just to examine it.

It wasn't a room. It was a closet.

The room could only hold eight tatami mats. The table at the center took up most of the space. A small lamp hung from the ceiling with the bulb blinking out every so often. There were no windows.

Jay sat at the table with a blanket over his shoulders. Instead of a gourmet meal befitting of his status, he was watching the cup of instant noodles cook. The silver tray it had arrived in was the only immaculate thing within the room.

"Oh, Sona, good morning," he said after looking up at her. His eyes blinked through his magnified glasses. "You're still not upset about last night, are you?"

"We need to talk," she said in a quiet and deceptively calm voice. She took a step in, closed the door behind her, and used the same magic seal to keep noise from traveling through.

Jay looked nervous, "T-That's not necessary. There's no need for violence, is there? We can talk about this, can't we?"

Sona took a seat at the table across of him. She didn't say anything as she just stared at the Ruler of the World. She was trying to look through his disguise. Jay, in response, paled further, fidgeted in his seat, and looked frightened by her staring.

"Drop the act, _Rolan,_ " she hissed.

He reacted exactly as she predicted. He blinked, hung his mouth open with surprise, and started to deny her. But as she stared further, unflinching in her resolve, he clamped his mouth shut.

And then, all expression from him washed away. Inhumanly so. Unnaturally so. His face went blank worse than a corpse's. It was more lifeless than a statue. It was something so freakish she almost lost her focus.

He removed his glasses. The scowl she was more than familiar with came afterwards.

His voice was disappointed, but calm enough. Civil enough. There was, however, an edge of annoyance that told her he wasn't going to comply fully with her whims as well.

"What was it that gave it away?" he asked, not fully expecting her to answer and asking only to draw up the conversation.

She obliged him, "When we danced, you gave me a lesson. You told me there is more to a person than what they say. It is what they don't say that shares who they really are."

She watched as his brown eyes morphed into the red and blue orbs of an Acolyte. They glowed dimly, giving off a shadow to his face. They never blinked as they stared straight into hers.

The smallest of curves sprouted on his lips as he bowed his head. He was the first to look away. A quiet noise came from the back of his throat as his shoulders shook. He was laughing— at least in his humorless, dry style.

"There were a lot of things," Sona went on. "All insignificant that I ignored. But as soon as I heard Izanagi-sama call you _Black Sun_ did everything fall into place. Not right away, but more as a domino effect. One link chained to another and I was able to see the full picture.

"That ludicrous list of yours, the three things you hate the most; Japan, humanity in general, and _the sun._ I never learned _why_ you hate the sun so much. And your hesitance to step foot in Japan is legendary. I can only grasp at the surface of your ire for the sun and now I can see why. It has something to do with that title, doesn't it? They call you a thief for stealing the Original Sun's authority. They called you a murderer for killing his Valkyrie, this Sun King Snow person, and a _liar_.

"It's not that you hate liars, but you hate lies in general. Your disdain for Saint Serene was noted and you always react negatively around her. But it's more than a personal preference, isn't it? After all, you physically lurch whenever a lie is brought up. And you go to tremendous lengths, even if it is against your own schemes, to avoid lying. Such as the promise you made me. You have no reason to hold it when you've been against Ise this entire time. Your reaction to lies has something to do with this Black Sun, doesn't it?

"Once I've thought this, I've realized never did you tell me a truth. You say things but they were always so misleading they always left me to assume my own. You never told me anything specific. All of this has been an act for me to assume I was talking to a decent human being. From your habits, to your gestures, your accent, your appearance, and your complete lack of presence. But all of those can be altered by your familiar, can't it? You showed this at the ball for the Phenex-Gremory game."

"Well that's good and all," he shrugged dispassionately. "But there's this too…"

His expression was still blank as he picked up the cup of noodles and placed it down onto the floor. He got up on his knees, grabbed the table by its edges… and just turned it 180 degrees until their sides were reversed.

She cocked a brow at this.

"It's called turning the tables," he matched her look with one of his own. It wasn't a look of superiority… but he was still damning her intelligence.

She suddenly felt like… she had just made a mistake.

He scooted forward on the table and rested his elbows against it. He jabbed a finger her way, "Marvelous deduction skills, Sona. I really am impressed by them. It also tells me there was nothing wrong with my disguise, which is a plus for my side. But, just one thing I need to point out. Luscious isn't here. It's all just me. And this? This is just basic makeup."

He flipped one tatami matt, revealing a secret compartment. Within contained a few makeup boxes with different brushes, some applicants and creams, skin-tone colored tape, dentures, and rubber models for altering a few angles for his face.

He closed the matt and went back to face her.

"So now you know," he said with another shrug. "Congratulations. But… now what?"

She scowled at him. "I want to know why you're doing this. If you really are the Ruler of the World, then why go to such lengths? What more could you do to Ise that you haven't done already? He's already one of your Predators, isn't he? Why drag me into this as well?"

He stared at her as if she were nothing more than a little child he humored. Something he found entertaining until he lost interest and grew annoyed.

"Oh hey, Sona, it's Chase," his voice grew sarcastic as he put his hand to his ear and made a phone with his fingers. "Listen, I need you to come with me to this big world-changing event. It's mandatory. I know you and I don't see eye to eye but… You get the picture, don't you?"

…True. She would have _never_ agreed to be here if she knew beforehand she was going to be dealing with Rolan.

"But what I don't get…" he leaned against the table again. His scowl returned, "Just… why should I tell you all about my villainous plan? What could you possibly threaten me with? You know who I am. Congratulations, again. But what does that do for you?"

"…I can tell Ise," she responded, her voice going dry.

He quirked a brow, "You mean you _weren't_ going to do that anyways?"

She didn't have a reply to that. She changed tactics, "You need me, Rolan. You just don't want to admit it. For such an event like this, it would have been more appropriate to have my sister attend with you. Instead, you asked for me. Me, who has no such experience in these matters. You've educated me about this unworldly ecosystem from the ground-up. I'm more than just some secretary to you. I am the thing that's keeping Ise from breaking you in half."

He studied her for a moment, his brows lowering into another scowl. "You're not wrong. It would be a big problem if he starts a fight with me right now. Yes, I suppose you _are_ the thing that's keeping him from… breaking me in half."

She caught it… using the exact same lesson she had taught him. He was leaving something out. Her mind racked for every piece of information she had collected thus far. From all the way back from their video chat to the conversations she held with the persona Jay Arlington.

"He hasn't figured it out yet," she realized. "Ise doesn't know you are the Ruler of the World. He probably never will without me…"

Rolan nodded and rolled his wrist, gesturing for her to continue on with the thought.

In short, Sona _didn't_ need to be here. If Rolan had continued on with his disguise as Jay Arlington then it was still likely Issei wouldn't have figured it out on his own. In fact, the likelihood of his identity never being revealed would have been assured if Sona wasn't present. Rolan had proven he could use his perks as the Ruler to manipulate others. He had manipulated Li Qin to call him Sunshine when she knew his real identity.

Rolan was hiding in plain sight. Those in his jurisdiction he could manipulate. And those who weren't absolutely refused to call him by his real name. They only called him Black Sun.

Issei hadn't suspected a thing thus far. He probably never will.

Therefore, Sona wasn't here to be used as a shield.

"Fucking hell…" Rolan cursed as he looked at his cup of noodles. "They're all soggy now…"

It didn't stop him from pulling out a pair of chopsticks from his robe and begin his morning meal.

"You're young, Sona," he said when enough time had passed. His scowl told her he was growing impatient with her. "You're brilliant but still so young and immature. It means you can be molded into something before you reach an age where you'll be too stubborn to change. You're right; I could have gotten several others smarter and more experienced than you. Yes, your sister for one. But it's always been about you from the very beginning."

He let her soak in the information while he slurped away on his soup.

From the very beginning? He had said this before. When he challenged her to a game of chess for her hand in marriage he asked her at what point in time did they start playing. She answered it had been a few minutes before his victory. He rejected the answer and told her he had been playing this game with her since they first shared words.

From the very beginning, indeed. And he was _still_ playing this game with her.

He had been testing her. Prodding her mind with the smallest of clues and guiding her with his unfair methods. He even gave her advice unexpectedly. Everything out of his mouth had been misleading yet highly informative once she deduced what was real and what was a lure.

From the very beginning… he had been molding her into something. He had been manipulating her. He had set fire to her life and made her react to it or perish. It was never a lesson where she could make mistakes. There was never the chance. All along he had set her in a straight line and no matter what she did would have her at the end goal.

She felt… cheated.

"You're one step closer to the end goal," he said with a more satisfied tone. His choice of words made her tremble. It was as though he had reached into her mind and pulled them out directly.

"No plan survives the enemy," she countered. "You couldn't have plotted for every contingency. You made mistakes."

"True…" he admitted without hesitation. "I did not plan on Artemis checking me. I did not plan on Hyoudou actually defeating the fat ass before the Evensong. I did not plan on losing _three_ Predators before the Evensong. I did not plan on the enemy getting the support of an unaccounted Ruler. And I did not plan on Ophis taking a personal interest on our side.

"But while all _that_ happened, this and that are two completely different things. You're still here, Sona. You're still on track. The only hurdle we've had thus far is your teenage love spat with Hyoudou and the death of most of your peerage. But both were expected and carefully controlled."

An unbearable burst of heat flashed through her. She gritted her teeth and snarled, "You _planned_ on my peerage dying?!"

"Sure," he was completely unfazed by her anger. " _However,_ I planned on either Hyoudou doing it accidentally or dragging the attention of something else. Such as the brothers of the Vampire. I also planned on Serene reviving them since she swore her allegiance to Hyoudou. He loves you too much to not ask Serene for that. But, as we all know, no plan survives the enemy."

She struggled to keep calm. Her fists were tight enough to crack her knuckles as some demonic miasma leaked into the room.

"Of course a monster like you could turn such a hurdle into a boon," she said through barely regained composure. Her hand shook as she adjusted her glasses. "I did not think you could reach a new low. You took advantage of me, Rolan. You played with my emotions and made me believe in you. You _can't_ revive my peerage, can you?"

"Tomorrow's Sunday," he said after placing the cup down. "If everything goes according to plan, and that goes for both external and _internal_ interruptions, then you will have your full peerage back. I make do with my promises."

"Just like your promise to leave Ise and his friends alone?" she countered.

"I didn't invite him to the meeting and I never went out of my way for him," his response had been practiced. He already knew he would have to explain himself. "I approached the Queen. He happened to be there with her."

"Then what do you call the love potion?" her teeth were almost grinding.

"Did you see _me_ give Issei the drink?" he lifted his hands in exasperation. "Dick supplied the potion and Odin supplied the alcohol. But it really was an error on our part Rossweisse got the other half instead of you."

"Why…?" she breathed out, struggling to keep her emotions in check. "What purpose would it have served if you forced love onto Issei and I? All it would have done is drive him harder… for the Rating Game."

If she and Issei were to have been drugged to fall in love with another, then Issei would have been driven to the brink of madness to obtain victory. He would fight tooth and nail against Rolan in their upcoming Rating Game. Issei would have gone to tremendous lengths to find all of Rolan's weaknesses as well as to make himself stronger.

"Huh…" Rolan blinked with genuine surprise. "You know what… I actually never thought about that. Fucking hell…"

She glared at him.

"No, seriously," he shook his head. "With all the shit going on I didn't think about giving him a little morale boost. The love potion he drank was seriously watered down. All it did was see the good in whoever else drank it— that being Rossweisse. Had I thought about it, I would have told Dick to make a full-blown love potion. I'm dealing with ten different convoluted schemes. I can't think of _everything._ "

She continued to glare at him. Something within her snapped. She no longer felt anger as it had reached a peak to where it couldn't be measured.

She picked up the cup of ramen. There was some juice and bits within. He had finished most of the noodles but didn't drain it completely.

She threw the rest of the contents into his face.

Sona never looked away. She was not afraid of him. Nothing but absolute loathing remained ever since their chess match. Let him strike her down where she sat. She had accepted her fate and wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her react.

His scowl had shifted to one of annoyance but nothing out of hand. He wiped the liquid off his face with the sleeve of his robe.

"Okay, fine," he said in a hushed voice. "I'll let you have that one. Contrary to your beliefs but the teenage melodrama between you and Hyoudou isn't something I give a fuck about. That's his business who he wants to fuck. But I made a promise to your sister to fix your relationship."

"Fix it?" her voice was flat. "Rolan, perhaps you've forgotten but the reason why Ise and I are in such a situation is because of _you._ Every fight we've had has been because of _you._ It would be best if _you_ stayed out of our lives."

"Bull-fucking-shit," he spat. " _You,_ Sona Sitri, wouldn't have given a flying fuck for him if I didn't call you out on your bullshit. Friend? You called yourself his _friend._ You are right, Sona. You would have _never_ been in this situation if not for me."

What a disgusting, arrogant, twisted sense of logic he had.

…But it had been right.

On the video chat so long ago, he had questioned her role in Issei's life. She answered and he had immediately saw straight through her. He criticized her words, nearly mocking them, and gave her such a keen observation that had been borderline truth.

He told her she was nothing more than a pretty secretary. She wasn't Issei's friend. She was his babysitter.

It was from the need to go against Rolan that had her taking the leap of faith for Issei. She opened herself up to him. She let go of her fears for him and chose to be his friend truthfully. She learned to accept him and help him. She was there for him when he was at his lowest.

It was from one comment that made Sona question her existence.

All of a sudden… she understood Rolan _completely._

"Very well," she said. It took a tremendous effort on her part to force the words out. "You are right, Sir Rolan. Thank you for that."

The effects were immediate. Rolan no longer scowled. But his brows were still furrowed. The only difference would be the emotion behind the expression.

Rolan was confused, surprised even. She had caught him flatfooted.

She realized everything Rolan did was to get a reaction out of her. He constantly poked at her with a sharp stick until she reacted negatively. It was how he was able to manipulate her. He knew how people would react when driven to the brink of desperation, annoyance, and ferocity. He purposely placed himself as a target of another's angst just so he knew where, how, and to what degree they would retaliate. After that, he knew exactly how to manage them.

It's not what people say that reveal much; it's what they _don't_ say that show their true colors.

He questioned the early relationship between she and Issei and in the end it had her getting close to the Dragoon Predator.

He questioned her intelligence and got under her skin and in the end it had blinded her. He beat her in the first three moves in their chess match.

He drove her up the wall and in the end her hatred for him had reflected onto Issei. Hence why he was provoked into challenging Rolan into a Rating Game.

How many enemies had he made over the years? And look at him now. How many titles and grants did he hold? And, just recently, wasn't he recognized as a Demon Lord for the Devil society? Not because he gave something grand or performed some great feat of importance. He was nominated as Demon Lord because he had forced Serafall into a tough situation. He made her sister into an enemy.

So… after figuring that logic, Sona tried a different approach.

She wanted to see what would happen if she was _nice._

"There are a few things I have to thank you for, isn't there?" she went on with a cool voice. It frightened her how easy it was. "I would have never made such a connection with Ise without you. Nor would I be here in such a gathering of transdimensional beings. I feel like my eyes have been opened up now that I know there is more to the world out there."

"Uh huh…" was all he could say to her.

Her little experiment paid off tremendously. She hadn't expected him to be at a complete loss. She had thought he would retort with something witty, something heavily sarcastic, or something extremely crude. Maybe even some violence.

Instead, he was struggling to keep his face blank.

It was the strangest thing watching someone who had proven to be out of her league be reduced to a dull-witted mess.

"You're welcome," he said after a moment. "Now that we have that out of the way, let's get back to the original purpose of you making a ruckus so early in the morning. You know I am the Ruler, you confronted me about, but then what?"

She decided to tease him a little bit more.

"Nothing," she said with a victorious smile. "I just wanted to let you know. And that I'm okay with it. I would like to say it would be beneficial if you could inform me on your intentions. But then I wouldn't learn anything if I knew, is that correct? I think I'll just go along with your plans for a little while longer."

"…Good for you," he said with his scowl returning. It didn't hold the same amount of animosity as it always did. He was just doing it out of habit to hide his confusion. "If you're done, then leave. I have to prepare for today's assembly."

"Is there anything you need help with, Sir Rolan?" she adjusted her seating while doing her best to use the most honest tone she could. "I've some input based on yesterday's delegations if you are willing to listen. They may help sharpen any detail in organization you may have missed."

It was almost hilarious watching him. She would have been laughing at his completely baffled look if she didn't hate him so much.

…She couldn't hold back the smirk however.

"That's… appreciated," he said slowly. He was struggling. "I would appreciate it. Why don't you get dressed first and we talk about this during breakfast? They should still be serving it downstairs…"

"Then if you will excuse me," she said with a broader smirk. She rose from her feet, walked through the door dividing their rooms, and shut it gently.

…Only then did she collapse to her knees as all of her strength left her.

0-0-0

What Issei needed more than anything was something to get rid of this hangover. All he had last night had been mead. Apparently, from what Odin and Tiamat had shared, they had hopped all over Kyoto in various bars and Issei experimented on different types of mead.

He also ate Odin's room key, just about every appetizer the bars served, a tire, a billiard ball, and a bunch of other things he couldn't recognize because they were too dissolved by his stomach acid. He only discovered what he had devoured after a trip to the toilet.

After handing Odin his key (which had been rinsed under the sink), Issei showered and dressed. He didn't wait for Tiamat to have her turn nor did he wait for his new wife. He put on what he thought was enough to be presentable and rushed over to the main dining hall.

All talk ceased as soon as he entered. Heads turned towards him. He felt the stare of everyone— from the background staff members to the Primordial Lawmakers.

"Ddraig!" someone roared.

"DDRAIG!" others followed in cheer and laughter.

The life of the room resumed after that.

He stood there, dumbfounded but not surprised. He knew last night he had gone off on some drunken adventure and had made a name of himself. He had, apparently, dragged everyone in the conference with him. He only wished he knew what he had done!

"Good morning, Master Hyoudou," a silky and loving voice whispered behind him.

He turned and was nearly knocked off his feet by the sight of her. Gabriel, the Archangel of Heaven, who had _the_ best breasts in all of existence unchallenged, was standing before him. Her curly hair bobbled as she tilted her head and smiled at him. Those full lips of hers were peeled back with a bit of teeth flashing in the light.

He could just stand there and stare at her until the end of eternity. She really was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. She had beauty that transcended Rias' and a body that couldn't even be compared. And that smile of hers was, if such were possible, more innocent than Asia's.

Oh hey, Gabriel-san, what are you doing here— was what he _wanted_ to say.

"Bweh…" was all that came out of his mouth instead while his eyes were lost on her perfect figure.

"Do you mind if I join you for breakfast this morning?" she asked in a voice that swept him off his feet. Was it possible to hear something so sweet? Something as melodious as this shouldn't be physically possible.

Then again… she was an Angel from Heaven. She wasn't bound to such lowly mortal limitations.

"Bwah…" he replied with a few nods.

Her smile brightened as she stepped closer towards him. Great elder gods of debauchery… she smelled so nice. "Thank you, Master Hyoudou. I was afraid you would have shunned me after last night. I am so relieved to find my naughty behavior hasn't vexed you."

He had to shake his head a few times to snap out of his ogling. "L-Last night? Um… Gabriel-san—"

"You are disturbed by me, aren't you?" she asked with a hurt expression that made him want to cry. "To speak to formally to me after calling me Gabi all along… I understand, Master Hyoudou."

"N-No!" he waved his hands to stop her from leaving. "I-If you're alright with it then… G-Gabi-chan. It's just… I don't remember much of last night. I didn't happen to do anything indecent to you, did I?"

He asked this while staring straight at her breasts. He could hardly control himself around her while he was inflicted with so much mental pain and aches. He feared what a drunken him would have done to an Archangel of Heaven.

His fears weren't settled as Gabriel's face reddened and she looked away. She fidgeted where she stood with her hands clasped together at her front. "O-Oh dear. This is… certainly embarrassing. Making me admit to such a sin. How shameful. But… it feel so… liberating…"

Now, he broke out in cold sweat.

Gabriel smiled in bliss as she brought one hand to cup her cheek. She spoke as though lost in a dream. "When I found that 100 yen coin on the street, I thought to find the one who lost it. But you convinced me to keep it. It didn't belong to me. It felt like stealing. I'm sure it was stealing. It felt so naughty. So sinful. But _so_ liberating…"

She let out a soft moan that almost made him pass out. It was the sound of orgasmic euphoria of his wildest dreams.

As she did, however, reality entered the room, spotted him, and slapped him across the face. As she did, a set of twelve black wings burst out of her back.

 _Black_ wings. He remembered Gabriel having white wings as pure as her innocence.

…His drunken self had convinced her to _Fall._

Over a 100 yen coin?! In the middle of the street?!

"…Heaven has some seriously high standards," he found himself saying.

"Indeed," Gabriel nodded. "But now that I am no longer bound to them… I find myself eager to practice what has been forbidden from me. I was thinking about going to the grocer, getting a sample, and then coming back for a second~"

Something died inside Issei from seeing her smile like that.

"Yo! Hyoudou-san!" someone greeted cheerily as he entered the dining hall.

It was a tall man in his early thirties with black hair and blonde bangs and a peach-fuzz beard. He wore a black and gray kimono with slippers. His smile was crooked as though perpetually focused on a prank he couldn't wait to unleash.

He approached Issei with such friendly familiarity it was as though they had been friends for years. He slapped his back hard enough to have the dragon cough.

"Legendary," he said with a feral grin. "Absolutely legendary. For eons we've been trying to get Gabriel to Fall. And in just a single night did you sink your claws into her heart. As expected of the Oppai—"

"Brother Azazel," Gabriel greeted with a loving smile. "I had thought to have heard your voice from the ceremonies yesterday. What are you doing here?"

Azazel, _the_ leader of the Fallen Angels and chief director of the Grigori. Issei had heard about him before. He was the one responsible for deploying Fallen in Rias' territory.

Azazel gave Gabriel a toothy smile. "Why, Gabi-chan, I'm only here on vacation. I wanted to see a historic event in the making."

Issei's head was banging again. He wasn't overly fond of Fallen Angels. "Can you let me go? I don't know who you are."

"Hah… Don't be like that, Hyoudou-san…" Azazel sighed. His breath stank of alcohol. "Not after everything that happened last night."

Issei scowled at him and took half a step away to get out of the man's breathing range. "No offense, but you and your people haven't exactly been nice to me. I'm not your friend."

Azazel stood up a little taller as he rubbed the underside of his jaw. His eyes scanned Issei, shining after finding something. His smile spread a little wider, "That's certainly something. A little forgiveness might be good for you, Hyoudou-san. After all, once this meeting is over, you will still be the Demon Lord of Japan and I will still be the Governor of the Grigori. It might pay off to be a little _friendly_ towards your peers."

Issei squared his shoulders and fully faced Azazel.

Azazel, in response, cupped a hand to his brow, threw his head back, and barked out a throaty laugh. "Lighten up, kid! Don't take it as a threat! Just think about it for a sec. Imagine what might happen if I decide to accept Sirzech's proposal for peace because the Pawn of Gremory convinced me. Imagine what it might do for your reputation. Imagine all the cute girls who would throw themselves at your feet. The wives who are thankful for having their husbands safe. And the daughters happy to know their fathers aren't going to have to fight against the big bad Fallen."

Issei's lips thinned out with conflicting emotions. This man was still threatening him one way or another. This would be one of those political hurdles that he'd have to be dealing with as a Demon Lord. He just thought they wouldn't start until after his status was made official.

It went further than appreciating all the thanks he would be getting. Oh sure, seeing the sights of mothers and daughters thanking Issei made him want to drool. There was another side to this. If Issei remained hostile against the Fallen Angels then not only would he not have a fan base of Devil women, but he would also be the reason why Devils and Fallen were still at each other's throats.

Issei would be the reason why there still wasn't peace.

He really wished Serafall was here to help him out. He wasn't a politician.

"Don't take it too seriously," Azazel waved it off with another sigh. "It's only friendly advice."

Gabriel tilted her head, keeping a silent watch on Azazel through her immaculate smile.

"Azazel, is that you?" the voice of Richard Royals was heard approaching.

"Dick!" Azazel cheered with a broad smile. "The Mad Archmage himself graces me with his presence. How's it going?"

Richard approached the group with his automaton doll in tow. Clockwork nodded to Issei in more of a preprogramed response than actual respect and did so likewise to everyone else in the conversation. She said nothing else and kept in Richard's shadow. The only indication she was there was the constant ticking of her gears rotating lazily.

"Still waitin' on that dough ya owe me," Richard said with a cheesy smile. He put a hand on Issei's shoulder and gave him a light pat. "Mornin' there, Ise. Word on the street is you're married. Things get that frisky with Rose last night?"

"Bah," Azazel gave a weary sigh and a rub through his hair at Richard's first comment.

Issei sighed and slouched at the same time, "Yeah. I really am married."

"Whoa, seriously?!" Richard nearly flipped. "Dude, Ise, I was only kiddin'. We only saw ya go back to your room with Rose. The fudge happened last night?"

"I'm married to Rossweisse-san with some sort of Nordic bond. Right here on my finger. It's made out of her hair."

"Huh… yeah… sucker's on pretty tight. Some divine intervention in that. I could get it off if ya want."

"Yeah Odin-san said he could too. But the problem is _he's_ the one who authenticated the marriage. Even if we remove the rings, it's still a legally binding marriage. The only way it's nulled is if one of us dies. And the worst part of it… I can't remember seeing her naked last night!"

Richard gave him a few sympathetic pats while Azazel barked out some more laughter. He was requested by Gabriel to be a bit more considerate… and then apologized immediately after for being too forceful with her request.

"Ah… I'm sure we can figure somethin' out…" Richard grossed as he looked away in thought. But then his brows perked up as he finally spotted Gabriel. "Oh. 'Cuse me. Don' think we've met. You're one of them pearlies up in the sky… aren't…"

The hand at Issei's shoulder went limp and eventually slid off. Richard just stared straight at Gabriel with wide eyes. His florescent emerald eyes blazed through his red sunglasses, never looking away, never twitching, never blinking. His mouth hung open as a choking noise was made at the back of his throat.

"Is something the matter?" Gabriel turned to face him. She tilted her head and gave a small frown of concern. "Archmage Royals? Oh dear. You don't look so well…"

Issei noticed what Richard had been staring at. Her breasts. His eyes were glued straight to her chest as though they were the hidden truth that shared all the secrets of reality.

When Gabriel moved a little closer, her breasts swayed slightly. And when she pressed her hands together at her front, her breasts were pressed together as well. Though she wore white unisex robes, there was no chance they could hide the ultimate creation underneath.

"Star's Truth…" Richard swore under his breath finally.

His sunglasses gained a large crack on both lenses. The magic that allowed him to see through clothing had been overloaded. A crimson streak dripped down from his nose.

…And then he fell flat on his face, completely unconscious.

"Oh…" Gabriel moaned with grief. She looked guilty and it was eating away at her heart. "Why does this always happen? Is it me? Is it something I do?"

"Dammit Outsiders!" someone from one of the tables barked. "Stop breaking our things whenever you show up! Do none of you remember Chaos?!"

Azazel threw up his hands and took a few steps away from the group, "I had nothing to do with this one! My hands are clean! I'm just a spectator!"

Without bothering to help, he fled from the scene.

"Hyoudou-san…" Gabriel was on the verge of sobbing. She knelt down but was arguing with herself whether she should be touching Richard or not. She wasn't sure if she could help him or make things worse by doing so. "I'm sorry! I-I'm not a bad person. Honest. I-I-I'll return that coin! I will! Please don't think I've harmed your friend on purpose! I would never do something so mean!"

Issei stared at the toppled Archmage for a moment, mostly spiteful because the man had seen something so beautiful it had left a physical scar in his brain. As one who frequently got nosebleeds himself, Issei recognized the signs.

Gabriel's breasts were too much for the mortal man's mind to comprehend. It couldn't comprehend the sights. It became overloaded and… this was the result.

Instead of helping him, Issei chose to kick him in the ribs. Richard let out a groan as the air was forced out of his lungs but remained unconscious.

"Don't do that," Clockwork said to him with her Speak-and-Spell voice. "I will take him. We shall return in time for the assembly."

Without waiting for a response, Clockwork bent down, grabbed Richard by the collar, and dragged him out of the dining hall. A streak of red followed from where the blood continued to flow out of his nose.

Tiamat strolled in, eyed Clockwork and her collapsed master, paid then no other mind, and spotted Issei as though she had always known where he was.

"There you are, Ddraig," she said. She eyed Gabriel briefly (who was nothing but smiles) and narrowed her eyes at the presence of a threat. She didn't lower her guard as she turned back to Issei. "I had thought you'd gathered breakfast already."

"…Things kept me," he replied by looking over her shoulder at the door. Particularly where Richard had been dragged off to.

"Ah," Tiamat nodded with complete understanding. "Son of Star has always been… distracting since the Black Sun. Yet another thing that monster has committed."

Issei frowned at that.

"Neither the Black Sun nor Arrixam's identity disorder were ever his fault," Gabriel jumped in. "The former is from the Abyss directed by Vladimir Zylor and the latter—"

"You will be silent," Tiamat hissed— her eyes shifting into slits and teeth turning into fangs.

It wasn't just her. The entire room had gone silent with heavy tension in the air. Every Lawmaker and a few of their underlings dining with them had turned their heads towards Gabriel. All of them were glaring at her as though she had spat in every one of their faces.

"This matter does not concern you, _Outsider_ ," Tiamat finished in a low voice.

Gabriel kept her smile up. It was lovely. It was perfect. It was so beautiful it hurt to look at. And it also didn't belong.

"She is welcomed here as a guest," the voice of Jay spoke as he entered. He had a scowl on and his voice was on edge. "She is free to share her opinion until the meeting is assembled. That is what _you_ agreed to."

Behind him, the rest of the Sitri Peerage walked in. But… there was a noticeable amount of distance between him. Even Sona, who remained in his shadow, was distancing herself from him. She was also keeping a vigilant look on him at all times.

"Do you share that as the Ruler, or as the Black Sun?" demanded Tiamat.

"Fuck off, that's who," Jay spat back at her, making her release a low growl.

…His personality had changed entirely since the last night.

"I do not wish for any discomforts to arise on my behalf," Gabriel spoke up. "I've overstayed my welcome with my recent observations. Thank you for the invitation, Ruler. Shall I give your concerns for Michael?"

Jay eyed her. Though he defended her, he didn't look any happier for her than anyone else in the room. "From one trickster to another, stop trying to stir up trouble on purpose."

Gabriel looked hurt, "I hope your impression isn't solely based on Serafall's words. She always calls me evil and I don't know why… I don't cause mischief on purpose. Though… I'm now tempted to now that the repercussions are things I no longer need to worry about…"

"…You should probably leave before you do more harm," he said in an unwavering voice.

Gabriel frowned but bowed to him, "As you wish. I'm sorry I could not share with you a meal, Hyoudou-san. I wished to discuss future arrangements. But that can wait for another time…"

"Uh… sure?" Issei nodded to her.

Her smile flashed like sunlight— so warm and bright it filled him with triumph. She was gone in the next instant as though she was never there to begin with.

"…You've no idea what you've done, do you?" Jay asked him with a blunt look.

"I really don't…" Issei sighed. "But I feel like I did something unforgiveable."

Sona cleared her throat.

"…Right," Jay groaned while fixing his glasses. "Issei—"

Sona cleared her throat a little more loudly this time.

"…Hyoudou," Jay said after his brow twitched. "If you haven't eaten yet, would you like to join me for breakfast? We can have that discussion now that things have quieted down."

Issei glanced between him and Sona. She fixed her glasses and returned the glance. Her eyes were narrowed as she nudged her eyes towards Jay. The look on her face told him he should go along with the suggestion but keep his guard up.

…Uh, what?

Tiamat stepped in close to Issei. She said nothing, only continuing to glare at Jay just as she had yesterday. She wasn't going to argue if Issei decided for it, but she would still be there for him simply because Jay was some sort of criminal in their eyes.

"I would like that very much," Issei said to Jay. "There are a few things I want to ask you. Like… the love potion from last night."

Jay's brows furrowed into a straight line until his glasses hid them completely. "That's fair. You do deserve to know that much. Where would you like to sit?"

0-0-0

The dining hall was just as ridiculously huge and extravagant as the grand hall from yesterday. Aisles of tables lined the room with several cushions and small chairs placed around it. The lighting of the room was bright with a glass roof and torches producing mystical light along the walls. Servants walked along the aisles and appeared almost out of nowhere to treat the guests.

As soon as Issei sat down at one of these tables was there a hot plate of food for him. It hadn't been there before. Nor had it been anything requested. He didn't know he wanted this thick soup that smelled spicy, fried potatoes slathered in gravy, and a side of shredded beef with grease dripping as he lifted it with a chopstick.

But after the first bite did he understand his body craved it. The effects of the meal hit him immediately. The headache caused by the night before gradually washed away with every bite.

Jay sat at the head of the table with Issei on his right and Sona on his left. Tiamat sat beside Issei and Saji beside Sona. The rest of the group took their positions as far away as was possible while remaining a part of the table.

"You should drink water and some coffee," Jay offered. "It'll help. A Bloody Mary would be better. But I doubt you'd want to drink anymore."

Issei shook his head at that and continued to stuff his face. He was done with the first plate and was about to ask for another when a servant came by and placed another serving down in front of him.

"What happened last night?" Issei asked.

"He tried to drug us," Sona answered before Jay could. "It was a low-dose love potion supposed to be given to you and I. Unfortunately, Rossweisse-san received my beverage instead. The effects of the potion took immediate effect after she drank it. The both of you became… agitated and…"

"Hyper," Jay jumped in when Sona failed to find the right word. "You couldn't sit still. You and Rossweisse left on some grand adventure into the night. Tiamat here followed you. Sona tried to get answers from me but—"

"But he slipped by us," Sona concluded, adjusting her glasses as she glared at Jay. "We blacked out and didn't come to until this morning. Nothing happened as far as I'm aware. Saji escorted us back to our rooms and ensured our safety."

Saji nodded at this. He didn't look at anyone as he ate but he couldn't hold back the smirk of pride as well.

"Okay…" Issei sighed after a few bites to mull things over. "Why, Jay-san? Why a love potion? With… S-Sona. N-N-Not that I'm upset it's with S-Sona! No! Wait! That's not what I meant! I'd never want to fall for Sona— THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

They waited until he finished making a fool of himself. His face was burning as he sat back down and started on his third plate.

Jay picked up a mug of coffee as black as the night, blew into it a few times, and took a sip. He let the taste of it wash in his mouth before swallowing.

"Liar," Tiamat spat at him after watching him indulge in the coffee.

"Habits," he protested, put the mug down, and went back to Issei. "I made a promise to Sera. I was supposed to fix the relationship between you and Sona. Little did I know the two of you already worked things out in your little chat. I forgot that despite everything… you're both still _teenagers._ Your emotions are all over the place."

Something he said made Issei stop chewing and put his utensils down.

"…What did you just call Leviathan-san?" he asked in a flat tone.

Jay looked at him through a heavy scowl and a blunt glare. All the humor and friendliness of him had washed away since this morning. He wasn't the same person he was last night or in the introduction meeting.

"Pleased to meet you," he said half-singing and half-sarcasm. "Hope you guess my name. But what's confusing you is the nature of my—"

 _ **Thwak!**_

 __Issei had moved in a blur. Jay didn't flinch nor did he try to defend himself. His expression never changed even as Issei threw his fist across the Ruler's face hard enough to turn a normal man's skull into splatter paint.

All it did to him was tear off the skin and reveal the jagged layer of ice and veins of fire. With his glasses removed, those red and blue orbs stared at Issei with the same blunt look of annoyance he cursed at on a daily basis. Nothing was said as the Ruler picked up the mug of coffee once again and took a sip as his skin began to stretch over the wound Issei had inflicted. In a matter of seconds was he back to his normal self.

Staring back at him was Chase Rolan.

Issei sat back down, breathing hard more out of anger than anything else. As he did, his instincts were screaming at him to not move any further. They weren't coming from Rolan, however. The warning signals were coming from everyone else in the room.

The Lawmakers were looking at Issei. Some of them were on their feet with weapons drawn. Some of them even had ropes and steel woven from their wordless words that was their Laws.

Even Tiamat was on edge. She looked at Issei with a deep worry. Her hand was on his thigh and giving it a firm squeeze to make sure he didn't move.

"I'll give you that one," Rolan said as he took another sip. "Only because this always happens whenever we meet."

"You deserve far worse," Tiamat stated. But she sighed and faced Issei. "Brother, do not be so rash. The Black Sun is a vile abomination. But you must control your anger. Harm him enough and he shall be ejected from the World."

Issei stared at her in confusion.

Slowly, after making sure he wasn't going to attack again, the rest of the Lawmakers went back to their business. Though, some of them kept their weapons and Laws at the ready as they watched him.

"They're a fickle bunch," Rolan began to explain. "They despise me for something I've no control over and yet tolerate me because I am the only thing keeping the World spinning. The Sun Sphere breathing life into this place needs to be changed out every so often. If I'm ejected from the World and sent anywhere else, there's no guarantee _when_ I'll be back. The Sun Sphere might go out before I get back. And the World will die.

"And the Lawmakers will have nowhere else to go."

Issei shut his eyes and tried to control his breathing. His heart was hammering with outrage and the headache was coming back.

Rolan was the Ruler of the World…

"I shouldn't be surprised…" he breathed out. Most of the anger had been subsided, pushed to the back of his mind. But it was the World that kept him in a perpetual state of anger. It will never go away. However, he had learned quickly how to control it.

He could direct it. He could point it at whoever he wanted.

Like Rolan, if the answers he received weren't satisfying enough.

"Sona figured it out," Rolan began. "She approached me this morning and revealed all her cards. I figured if she knew about me then there's no point in hiding it from you. My cover's blown. It would have been a lot easier if you never learned I was the Ruler. You would have been able to act _rationally_ for once."

"You were the one who explained everything about the Predators to me when we first met…" Issei muttered. "You used terms the others didn't know. They also said you explained things to them as well. How else did you know I wasn't really a Predator for three years? It was your plan after all to turn me into one.

"No one else knew about the Evensong until you told them."

"You figured all that…" Rolan spoke slowly with a raised brow. "And yet you couldn't put the pieces together?"

"I should have…" Issei agreed. "I mean, it sounds boring to never play the game you designed."

"Well spoken," Tiamat said with a hint of pride.

Issei rubbed his face before pressing forward. "Okay. What is it this time? What kind of plan do you have in mind for me? Or are you going to make _Sona_ into one of your Predators?"

Rolan raised his brow a little higher and pointed his thumb at Sona. "Her? A Predator? That's adorable. But, no, I think Sera would kill me if I tried."

No one laughed at his attempt at humor.

"I'm fulfilling my role as the Ruler of the World," Rolan stated matter-of-factly. "In case you haven't noticed, Hyoudou, the Evensong is right around the corner. The Khaos Brigade has broken thirty-three of the seals the Heavenly Father placed in the last few days. In what should have taken millennia for the Triangular Beast to awaken is going to happen in…"

He glanced at Sona and her peerage.

"Soon," he said back to Issei, choosing to leave out the specific date. "We can't do this alone. Three Predators are gone. The enemy is beyond our previous expectations. The World and all those who live in it don't have the power to protect itself from this threat. I'm here to _demand_ the tribute of the Lawmakers."

"If you think we will help you, Black Sun—" Tiamat began.

"You _will_ or get the _fuck_ off _my_ World!" Rolan cut her off, his voice roaring so that everyone could hear it. "You fucking Primordials have been fucking with this place more than enough to overstay your welcome. I am demanding you pay rent or I _will_ evict you from my territory."

Someone didn't agree with this. There was the sound of glass breaking. Someone rose to their feet. It was a tall man in a white toga and muscles that pulsed with every twitch.

"After everything you've done, Black Sun," the man's voice echoed with power. "You expect us to comply with you? You, who destroyed countless other Worlds with your betrayal?! You, who has given the Abyss its victory?! You, who have turned the Guardians against us?!"

 **Do you know who I am?!**

Power burned into the air as the man's body began to light up. His skin began to peel off as he was about to transform. He was going to awaken his true form just like how Tiamat had in their battle in the Familiar Forest.

It didn't happen.

The man was gone in a blink of an eye.

Lawmakers around him leapt up to their feet and moved away from that spot as though it was contaminated with radioactivity.

"I'm not fucking around," Rolan spat. He stood up and looked at everyone in the eye. "All of you. _All_ of you will answer the call when the Evensong approaches. Or you can leave and take your chances with the Abyss. Maybe the Guardians will give a fuck about you and take you in. Your options are here with a Sun Sphere to keep the Law of Presence alive, the Guardians who have their own Presence, or the other [Fake] Worlds of Dreamers who will quickly die out. If you stay, you will be put to work. I am willing to listen to your requests and burdens. That is the purpose of this meeting."

He met their gazes once more… and quickly dismissed them as background scenery. He sat back down and took another sip of his coffee.

…How unfair.

Rolan was a Predator. He had the same amount of power as Issei. He could kill anything on the planet and survive against anything. He was also a significantly overpompous political figurehead of _several_ different factions.

Issei didn't fully understand the authority of the Ruler of the World until just now.

He had just booted someone out of their reality without so much as a twitch. He had opposed a Primordial Lawmaker, something Issei couldn't defeat on his own, all with just a thought.

The different in power between he and Rolan had just skyrocketed again. No. It had always been this outlandish. Issei was only just made aware of this.

"And yet you're a coward," Sona had come to the exact same conclusion.

A coward. It meant, despite all his powers, Rolan was terrified of something.

"It is better to be feared than loved if you can't have both," Rolan stated. "They're never going to accept me because I am the Black Sun. I am the reason why almost every Primordial is here in our World. There'd only be one, maybe two, on this World otherwise. Or none at all."

"What _is_ the Black Sun?" Sona asked.

"Betrayal," Tiamat answered for her. "He gave up his right to exist. He turned his back on the Originals. He turned his back on his self. And he turned his back on the one he loved the most. He is a murderer and a liar. He is a puppet of the Abyss."

Sona's lips thinned, "That doesn't answer my question."

"I murdered my wife," Rolan stated as he put down the coffee. His eyes stared forward as his focus remained on a memory. "Her name was Snow. She was the Valkyrie of the Original Sun— someone who had been chosen to wield the authority of the highest being in all existence. I killed her and that authority was lost. Forever.

"The end result…" he looked up and around the room, but never once focusing on anything. "Every World connected to this Original… died. That's over 99% of all existence, ever. Only Worlds like this with a Dreamer, like me, remain. And eventually those will run out of juice. The Dreamers will drop dead. Their Worlds will fade."

The table— no, the entire room was quiet.

"And these… Sun Spheres…" Sona pressed on. "They are… an extension of sorts to this Original Sun? Or a replica of his power?"

"Something like that," Rolan said to her and went for his mug. He decided against drinking from it and pushed it away. The joy of it was gone. "It was something we designed together. I'm the only one who knows how to make them and what they really do."

"You _were_ the only one."

Heads turned.

It was as though reality itself had been torn and ripped open. A hole was made into the Dimensional Gap as someone stepped out. He was tall with a slender build. He dressed in a bland black and white business suit. His face was just as boring; he wasn't bad looking but also not exceptional in any way. Perhaps the only thing unique about him was his hair— an auburn shade that reflected a metallic red in the light.

There was, however, something that made him stand out of everyone. In a sea of people his looks would have him blend completely in with the masses. But because of this thing, even blindfolded _everyone_ would be able to know where this man was.

It was the brand etched onto his forehead. It was unlike anything Issei had ever seen. It was burned into his scalp and resonated with a power that forced Issei to hate this man with every fiber of his being.

This man was evil.

This man was a criminal.

This man was a stain in existence.

This man had _sinned._

"You…" Rolan's voice was low, barely a whisper. He slowly stood up. His Aura leaked into the room, crushing plates and shattering glass. The servants, the Sitri peerage, and most of the followers of the Lawmakers either fell to their knees or were gripping at the tables as though bracing for a collision. The light in the room flickered and the colors drained away. The scent of Summer and Winter fought together.

"I killed you," his voice was a curse with every ounce of putridity he could produce.

"Yes," the man said in a tone so bored and distant it was as though he had repeated this conversation a countless number of times. He raised a finger with the exact same enthusiasm. "You forgot to mention one thing, Black Sun."

He paused, making sure everyone in the room had his attention.

They did. And he went on.

"By doing so, you started the Evensong."

"ADAMS!" Rolan bellowed with a fury that sent his Aura out of control. It knocked those unable to withstand his pressure across the room. Sona, her peerage, the Youkai servants, and those the Primordials had been accompanied with.

Adams. This man was Adams McCain.

The brand on this man's head _moved._ It twitched and squirmed more liken to a parasite rather than the scar of someone scribbling a mark in hot iron.

Rolan bore his teeth as his skin was peeled off. He fell to his knees as his body began to become distorted. His human image began to fade away, blinking in and out almost like a hologram. Underneath revealed his true form— the grotesque monster comprised of frozen armor, a beating heart full of fire, and claws endlessly pooling someone else's blood he had been stained with.

"Protect the Ruler!" Tiamat shouted in a frenzy.

Others stood quickly and shouted the same thing. They moved to surround Rolan while others stood at point to face off against this man.

Something… shifted inside Issei.

 _Protect the Ruler._

The World tugged on him harder than ever before. He let out a roar as his power soared like never before. The World itself was kicking in, invading his mind, overwriting his psyche. It was taking control of him and forsaking his consciousness all in the name of fulfilling its duty. It was using the ultimate and last resort of the Predator system to ensure the safety of the World.

He was in his Balance Breaker, shoving Primordials aside. His Gift of Flight flicked on. He was in the midst of transforming into his Juggernaut Drive. The World wouldn't allow him to think. He was nothing but a killing machine.

Adams McCain, writer of the Evensong, and the one who was going to awaken Trihexa from its slumber. This man was in front of Issei. He was _the_ threat against the World and its Ruler.

McCain's brand twitched once again as Issei charged forward. A fragment of a second passed as Issei broke from the group to assault this man.

Something stopped him from reaching him.

White hot pain lanced into his side and sent him skidding across the ground. He knocked aside tables, people, and broke through the back wall. Adams hadn't moved from his spot, even as he was dangerously close to Issei. He had hardly looked his way with the same bored expression as though he had already known this would happen.

"Issei!" Sona shouted.

Rolan lowered the hand that fired the shot. His body was in the middle of recovery when he blew a hole into Issei's side.

He had just saved Issei against something that would have ended his life if the mark had activated.

"Lawmakers to the 3x3 Kings' Realm," Adams spoke up, spreading his hands. He behaved as though nothing had happened. "You need not grovel to the Black Sun. I have seen the Original Sun. I know how to craft the Sun Spheres. And I have become the other Ruler of the World."

To prove his point, he had reached into his pocket and pulled out a sphere no larger than his palm. It shone in a dim light, very much like a computerized model of the sun's surface. It flared, it breathed, and it bathed the room with _something._

Power. Purpose. _Presence._

Adams dropped his hand— the Sun Sphere floated on its own exactly as he left it.

"Follow me," he said next. "Remove yourself of the Black Sun. Help me return home and I will guarantee your survival after the Evensong. You will never fear the Abyss and its End of All Things."

Glances were exchanged. Dangerous glances.

Sona… could visibly see allegiances shift.

"…Oh shit," Rolan cursed below his breath with such fear she almost didn't believe it had come from his voice.

"KILL HIM!" several roared.

"You damned fools, HE'S THE BLACK SUN!"

"He's the Black Sun! He deserves to fade away!"

"You'd trust the words of an Outsider?!"

"I'd trust him over a _Betrayer_!"

"The Black Sun prevents the Guardians from arriving! If we remove him and side with this Outsider then their wrath will fall to us! It is _their_ Triangular Beast that sleeps here!"

"The Guardians or the Abyss; which side do you think to survive against?!"

"Get out of my way!"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"It needs to be done!"

"I'll kill you—"

"Even if it's you!"

 **DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?**

Explosions went off everywhere as bodies erupted. Dust of every color filled the room and quickly began to reform to their point of origin. Lines were made, forming letters to no alphabet and words to no language. A chorus of voices full of power that defined the cosmos echoed more than just through reality.

Every voice could be heard within Sona's head. The Lawmakers and their oaths invaded her mind and demanded her to hear the definition of their Laws without restriction. She wasn't the only one. Everyone else in the room who wasn't a Lawmaker was victim to this.

She felt a strong hand tug on her arm.

"Sona, get your crew and leave!" Rolan was there, his face in a panicked frenzy. He was moving, dragging her to her peerage as he went on. "You need to get out of here! Move! Dammit, girl, MOVE!"

It took half a second later for Sona to get to her senses. It took a second after that to force her body to listen.

"Saji, get point," she ordered. "Rolan… watch our backs."

"Hurry the fuck up," he spat as he looked over his shoulder.

The fight hadn't started just yet. Sona chanced a glance and saw… something truly breathtaking and mind shattering. The true forms of the Lawmakers were… indescribable. They had no physical forms and therefore couldn't be defined through physical detail. They were made up of words, of songs, of noise and stories and portraits. They were _telling_ personified.

They weren't fighting just yet. They were finding partners almost as though they were getting ready to pair up for a dance. And… they were bowing to another the same way Rolan and Odin had to Ophis.

Saji was already on his feet and grabbing a hold of Ruruko. Sona urged Tomoe to her feet. It took them a few seconds for them to recover until they could move on their own. They all but ran out of the room.

The man, Adams McCain, watched them for a brief moment. Her eyes met with his. She saw nothing in his gaze.

It was a sort of nothing that made him all the more dangerous.

He decided to follow them.

It made her heart skip a beat. She urged them all to run faster.

Rolan made a wall of ice behind them as soon as they escaped the dining hall.

It didn't last any longer than three seconds when it exploded outwards. None of the ice hit them as he willed it to disperse.

Adams was there with his hand outstretched and walking forward as though passing through a door. The brand on his forehead was twitching erratically. His dull eyes spotted them, never truly leaving them, and he stepped into the hallway to follow them at a leisurely pace.

"Go, go, go, go, go!" Rolan shouted.

"I can't make a teleportation circle!" Tomoe shouted.

Sona had tried as well. Her magic wasn't working here. The best she could do was create sparks that fizzled out as soon as they hit air.

Something was dampening her devilry. Was it because the Lawmakers were interfering with the Laws of the World or was it something else?

"Courtyard!" Rolan barked next. "Get to open space!"

They skidded around the corner and kept running.

But no matter how fast they ran, Sona could hear the clattering footsteps of Adams behind her.

And when she turned her head to look over her shoulder…

She saw Adams ten feet away from Rolan, still walking in his leisurely pace. The distance grew. But when she blinked, he was ten feet away again.

His eyes continued to look at hers.

"Kaichou! Go!" Saji turned on his heels. He had noticed the same thing. He put a hand to his breast and tapped the crest belonging to the Knights of the Round.

His suit glowed as chromatic black and violet armor projected. It buzzed as he took a stance. His Sacred Gear— as well as several extensions of them she had never seen— had appeared by his command.

She almost stopped to reprimand him.

Rolan wouldn't allow it. When he passed by Saji, he scooped Sona over his shoulder and kept running.

"Genshirou!" Ruruko cried as she stopped.

Rolan grabbed her by the wrist and almost pulled her off her feet.

"Don't stop!" he shouted. "You can't win against him!"

"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" Saji roared in defiance at Adams.

Adams stopped walking when he was fifteen feet away from Saji. He put his hands into his pocket and tilted his head, inspecting Saji in fullness.

Rolan kept running, carrying Sona and almost dragging Ruruko. Tomoe followed them close behind.

"Saji!" Sona shouted as the distance grew.

Saji looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile.

She didn't see anything else as they turned the corner and entered a new hallway.

Ruruko screamed. Sona was thrown off of Rolan and forcibly thrown forward. She heard the clinging of steel, the heat of fire, and an explosion… before hitting the floor and tumbling around a few times.

"…Why hello there, little bat."

She found herself staring into the hem of a large black robe. As she looked up, slowly getting to her knees, she found it belonging to a skeleton. Hades, the god of the dead.

They were surrounded. Black hooded robes circled around them and blocked both exits of the hallway.

Rolan had thrown her and pushed the other two girls back.

He was gripping his side from a sword wound inflicted by one of the hooded figures.

…He wasn't healing.

"…Kaname…" he swore through intense pain. "Fucking shit. Why doesn't anyone stay dead when they're killed?"

The figure wielding the katana did not react at all.

Sona let out a cry as Hades reached down and pulled her up by her hair. She struggled to stand on her toes to relieve as much as the tension as possible.

"I'll never understand the appeal of you _Devils,_ " Hades said with disappointment. "You're all like rodents. You take what's not yours, spread disease and carnage, and always hide where least we expect to find you. Among the human folk, no less."

"HADES!" Rolan bellowed. "Let her go!"

"Hmph," Hades snorted. "You're hardly in a position to make demands, Black Sun. No, I'll not release your… apprentice."

The title held a deeper meaning than it should have. There was something critical there— as Rolan hadn't come up with a vulgar retort as he normally would. But Sona couldn't focus on that right now. She needed to focus on escaping his clutches and getting her peerage to safety.

"I've a use for her still," Hades went on and released her.

Sona would have moved if three robed goons didn't step in to reprimand her. She tried to fight them off but they were all impossibly strong. It was as though she were fighting against marble statues.

"What do you want with Kaichou?" Ruruko demanded through tear-stricken eyes.

"You wish to add to your collection, [Chronicle]?"

Everyone went still.

Adams McCain strolled in with his hands still in his pockets and the same dull expression he had when he had come across Saji. There wasn't a single wrinkle or speck of dust on his suit.

"S-Sempai…" Ruruko's voice was broken. "Genshirou-sempai. What… What happened?"

Adams turned his head towards her and gave her another bored glance. She wasn't interesting to him at all. His eyes told her he had seen her an unlimited number of times and was tired of seeing it any further times.

It was probably what saved her. Adams turned away from her and went further into the group.

He passed by Rolan, who was trembling with both fear and anger for the man. Adams didn't pay him a single glance.

His eyes were locked on Sona's still.

"I see…" was all he said before looking away from her. It was a mere observation; he was neither satisfied nor disappointed by whatever he found in her. He faced Hades once again, "She will lure in Potential."

"And she will lure in Ophis as well," Hades responded. "The Dragoon is too involved in his game. He cares too much for these game pieces. He will come for her. And the former Queen is too interested in the Dragoon to ignore him. You will get what you need."

"Cao Cao and his crew are in position," Adams said next. "They are dealing with the Youkai. The King—"

"OBLITERATE!" Rolan shouted as his Aura intoxicated the air and turning it into lead weight.

There was a rush of fire that came as fast as the morning rays of the sun. Sona could feel her skin melt by the heat alone even as the fire never touched her. It wrapped around them, consuming the entirety of the hallway. Hade's minions were struck with the brunt of it and were reduced to ashes.

The flames never touched Adams. Rolan would never dare to strike at the man. His brand didn't twitch as he stood in the center of the storm.

Sona could breathe again as soon as the flames were dispersed by an incantation. One of the hooded figures had raised a hand and conjured Nordic Runes to cancel out Rolan's technique.

When Sona looked, Rolan was gone. There was a massive hole out of the side of the wall.

He had taken Ruruko and Tomoe with them.

0-0-0

Issei struggled to get up. The pain to his ribs flared as a weight pushed him back down.

"Not yet," a voice said.

The World was still urging at him to get up. It demanded his presence as a Predator to get off his ass and defend the fucking planet. The Ruler was in danger. The final boss had just shown up. He could stop the Evensong if he fulfilled both duties.

"Ddraig, come back to me."

He growled and tried to get back up. The cycle repeated itself.

Now he was sure something was purposely jabbing into his ribs, stopping the wound from healing.

Rolan's Flame hurt like a bitch.

"There you go. Listen to my voice. Only my voice. Ignore the World and come back to me."

He realized he wasn't being dragged back to consciousness on his own. Someone was pulling on him. Someone who can mettle with the Laws of the World and the Ruler's system.

"Are you better, brother?" Tiamat asked.

…She was sitting on his back, legs crossed, and foot raised over his side and ready to kick him again.

"Please get off of me," he demanded with a growl.

She remained still, contemplating between listening or remaining. Eventually she chose the former and got off of him.

He got up to his knees, clutching at his side. The wound had been cauterized upon impact and was taking forever to heal. Normally something like this would have been gone. _Normally_ something like fire needed to be as hot as the sun itself to penetrate his skin. He'd swam through lava for crying out loud!

"Where is he?" Issei demanded next.

Tiamat flicked a strand of hair over her ear and looked away.

"Dammit, Tiamat!" he cursed at her. "Something is blocking my detection! I can't find Sona or Rolan or even McCain! Which way did they—"

"Tia-nee," she demanded with a sharp gaze.

He recoiled, completely taken aback by her.

"Call me, Tia-nee," she repeated. "Just like you did when you embraced me. You are too involved with these mundane affairs. But you are my brother and I love you. I will support your… hobby as Predator if you honor me."

Seriously? Seriously?! SERIOUSLY?! She was going to pull something like this at a time _like this?!_

He found it difficult to call her by that. He had a bunch of mixed feelings. For one, he didn't remember anything about last night. He didn't remember seeing her naked until just this morning. He didn't' remember doing the deed with her just as much as he couldn't remember getting married!

He hardly knew her. She continued to call him her brother. But he wasn't Ddraig. Well, he _was_ but he wasn't _her_ Ddraig. The person he was now and the one in her head were two different people.

He already had a sister. Two, if being technical. One adopted and the other honorary.

At the same time… he couldn't ignore her. She had fulfilled every promise she had made with him. She had done her best to teach him about the Primordial Lawmakers. She tried to tell him who Ddraig really was. Hell, during training she had made corrections to his Assaulter and Defender stances.

They were actually stances for dueling against other Primordials. He thought he created them out of trial and error. Really, he was just drawing them out of pure instinct.

She was powerful. More powerful than he was currently.

He _needed_ her help. It was the reason why he had agreed to come to this place. He needed to find a way to protect the World and stop the Evensong.

"Please…" he bowed his head and asked sincerely, "Please help me, Tia-nee."

"The Black Sun took them that way," she answered immediately and pointed back into the main building. "I heard him shout for the courtyard. But that Outsider intervened. That is all I can offer you."

"Come with me, please," he asked. At the mention of Adams running into Rolan and Sona, his heart dropped to his stomach. "I might need your help."

"I will always be available to you, Ddraig," she said tenderly.

He got up again. By the time he was on his feet did he have the Scale Mail donned. He could feel the urge to activate Juggernaut Drive but kept it back. The chant of his predecessors rang in his head as he drew in the endless energies of the cosmos.

"Let's go!" he shouted, boosters igniting out of his back. He launched back into chaos.

Tiamat was there at his side.

0-0-0

 _ **Dream Works: the Acolytes and the Nightmares**_

 __Devised by the Ruler Gabrielle Mason, two gods came into existence of the World. They were the Daydream and the Ma.

The Daydream is revered as the Gift Giver by his followers. In legend, it is said he entered the mortal realm through the mirrored world and bestowed upon his chosen ones the abilities to fight against the darkness. These chosen few had weaponized life energy, referred to as Aura in their culture, and manipulate the properties of the physical world.

These people, who call themselves Acolytes, can manipulate a certain affinity and _only_ that affinity they are born with. Most commonly, the general breed of Acolytes can only control one of the four basic elements: Flame, Water, Earth, and Air. It is possible for an Acolyte to branch out their affinity by Evolving it or Mutating it. Certain Acolytes can even manipulate the strangest of affinities such as concepts, metaphysics, the four forces, the principles of good and evil, the occult, and even powers that are yet able to be explained in this age.

Every Acolyte has the chance to ascend their powers. An Acolyte who can fully sympathize with their affinity or outright reject reality's interpretation of it can reach a godly level of manipulation. Their affinities become purely conceptual and can thus force their own interpretation of reality onto the physical realm. For example, a certain Flame wielder may be able to burn and melt things that have extreme temperature resistance.

It is rumored Chase Rolan can burn fire itself. Impossible under normal circumstances. But at a conceptual level it is entirely _possible._

The Acolytes were chosen to fight against their sworn enemies; the creations of shadow of the Ma, the Nightmares.

Nightmares exist in every shadow for they are the shadows themselves. They devour all life energy (Aura) depending on the potency of the Nightmare. Typically, when a Nightmare is slain will another one take its place; often the newest Nightmare is stronger than the previous.

The only way to slay a Nightmare is by the hands of an Acolyte. Even those who can wield Aura as a weapon can do minimal against the Nightmares. Only those blessed by the Daydream directly may touch the Nightmares.

Then, there are the Primeval-class Nightmares. These are unstoppable, immortal, nigh invincible creatures. The destruction of one Primeval will only guarantee its return and shall return stronger than its previous form. Most Primeval remain stationary, but on occasion get drawn by the attention of the mortal happenstance. Whenever a Primeval arrives, terrible calamities happen upon the land.

The most notorious Primeval are the Leviathan, the Shadow of the Ocean; the Behemoth, the Shadow of the Planet; and Ziz, the Shadow of the Sky.

It is the sworn duty of the Acolytes to stop these creatures from ending humanity.

Those who turn their back on the Daydream are called Rouges.

Those who side with the Ma and delve into the powers of the Nightmares are called Accusers.

It should be mentioned… it is possible for _anyone_ to become an Acolyte. Should anyone steal the eyes of an Acolyte it is possible to inherit their powers. Should one replace their eyes with the Acolytes then they unlock all their knowledge and their affinity. Should the eyes be devoured orally then will the person unlock their own affinity plus the reserves of Aura the Acolyte previously had.

The former method turns the thief into a full-Acolyte. The latter only grants temporary blasphemy. If the latter, then more eyes need to be stolen to sustain their powers.


	14. Every Face a Different Shape

**AN: I apologize in advance. This chapter is OC heavy due to predetermined plot.**

 **I've rewritten the next arc, however. It'll be more DxD driven than my usual garbage. Hopefully we can get back to the canon story.**

 **Also, I said the arc was going to end at this chapter. But it looks like too much happened. I need to extend it for one more chapter.**

 **Casey! (If you still read this) I couldn't make last month's you-know-what. Got a new account. Will make it up this month at double.**

 **Now then, ON WITH THE SHOW!**

* * *

Often, the mundane children who understand their place in the omniverse compare the whims of the Original and Primordial Lawmakers to the happenstance of a game. And they wouldn't be wrong. In fact, it is by far the most accurate description available other than the actual truth of what they are.

The Primordial Lawmakers, in this case, treat everything as a game because, to them, everything _is_ a game. The omniverse is their board and they are the ones who define how the game must be played. From the Quantum-class who can manipulate the omniverse as a whole to the Planetary-class who can only control a single planet. And then between. Every Lawmaker defines what it means to progress forward.

They are the rules. For they are more than just law- _makers._ They _are_ the Laws and the Laws are them. Even now, as they bowed before another, seeking out challengers to partake in their duels, they were mere projections of their true selves. Their real selves were locked away in the grand cosmos of the omniverse— no Primordial had a physical form. What they were now were mere husks stolen by the natural denizens of the World.

Even as they 'transformed', as a certain Dragoon would say, it is still not their true forms. What is seen by the mundane who can witness their dueling is nothing more than an _expression_ of their Law. It is no more than a print made from a publication on a book, furthest from the original source that was the author who wrote it.

Yet, that didn't make them any less dangerous to the World. After all, they were directly connected to their Laws and could recode the World's system appropriately.

…Or, they would have if they weren't rudely interrupted.

It happened in a blink of an eye.

There was the distinct sound of rumbling coming from the eastern corridor and drawing closer. Lawmakers who had bowed and assumed the appropriate stances dropped their forms in ponder. They halted their gaming and duels and dances in order to see what sort of thing could have disturbed them. After all, when two Primordials were about to duel, it took something more than a mere earthquake to gain their attention. It took something that defied the World itself and their Laws.

"RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRR!"

It crashed out of the wall. Correction, it had broken through [Territory's] dimensional isolation protocol in which nothing from the outside could get through. And yet this figure had been able to do so through sheer physical force. Dust blew everywhere and would have clouded a mundane's vision, but such was not a hindrance to the likes of the Primordial Lawmakers.

They all saw who it was.

 **The King?!**

 **Why is Great Red out of the Dimensional Gap?!**

 **No! That is not the King!**

 **Yes! That is his avatar!**

 **The King still Dreams to this day?**

… **Did he just say 'Oh yeah'?**

 **Our savage King has heard the horns of challenge.**

 **Someone go and challenge him. Do not fear his power.**

 **Yes, this is but a mere shadow of—**

Red, the avatar of his _Greater_ self, kicked in the face of the Primordial Lawmaker who last spoke.

First, _fuck_ their protocols for rules and etiquette. He did not bow to anyone. He did not accept them worthy enough as a challenge. One wasn't enough. He wanted the _whole_ fucking pot!

He figured if they could all come after him then he _might_ get a good enough challenge to go home happy. It would take another couple hundred eons before such a large gathering of his folk were present again.

 **Impossible!**

 **We are linked directly to our Laws!**

 **How was he able to break [Brilliance's] nose with his** _ **boot**_ **?!**

 **[Brilliance] doesn't even have a nose in this form!**

 **He… he disregarded the customs.**

 **What… What do we do?**

 **This has never happened before!**

 **What Law is there when someone does not follow the customs?!**

 **We don't have one!**

 **What do we do?!**

 **Someone come up with something before he—**

He snorted, spat on the ground, and kicked in the next Lawmaker.

After that, he didn't give them a chance. They had their chances anyways. These fucking morons and their need to follow rules. Fuck the rules! What good did they serve when they didn't need to be followed in the first place?

Even now. They pissed him off. Even now they were bowing to him. They took stances, spread their limbs in the form of the First Dance, and assumed a Defender, Assaulter, or Counter stance.

By the time they were all done, he had already left _ten_ Lawmakers drooling on the ground.

Now they were going to come at him in full force. Now all of them were going to use their Laws against him in what he hoped to be a decent enough fight.

Red grinned savagely like the King that he was. He brought up his fists and gestured for them to come at him with everything they had.

He dove straight in without holding back. The rush of the battle was too exciting to ignore. He cracked open skulls, shattered jawlines, snapped teeth and bones, ruptured organs, and—

 **Why does it hurt?! I don't even have genitals…**

…And crack open a few eggs.

True, they didn't have physical bodies. Any other person wouldn't be able to break them down with bare fists. It was the same as shadow boxing.

But, hey, something like that followed the rules. And Red doesn't follow the rules.

He was King for a reason.

Fuck the rules.

0-0-0

"Okay… I think we're lost…"

"I'm disappointed, Ddraig. You lack any form of detective skills without the support of the World and its defense system."

"You said they went this way!"

"Yes. I also said that Outsider intercepted them. They could have taken an alternative route to lose him. I was occupied with you to see which way they went."

"You said they were going for the courtyard!"

"So I did."

"I thought you were taking me to the courtyard!"

"How can I take you anywhere when I was the one following you? And I know not where it is."

Issei pulled off his helmet and threw it to the ground in frustration. It shattered the tiled floor and got nudged pretty deep.

"We could ask for directions," Tiamat offered.

"Who are we going to ask?!" he flung his arms around. "That vase right there?! Tia-nee, there's _nobody_ around! And those who are around are fighting!"

"Leave it up to a man to find an excuse to not ask for directions," she muttered and turned herself away from him. "You were just like this when we were Traveling to the Honeycomb realm."

"…There's a World named _Honeycomb_?" he couldn't help but ask. And then he realized the sheer stupidity of it all and shook his head to get back into the game. "Tia-nee, I need to find my friends. They're in danger. I need to make sure Sona and the others are alright."

Tiamat studied him. Her eyes narrowed as a small frown formed. "There it is again. You speak so highly of this mundane girl more than you have over your lovers. You speak of her greater than you do with me. Ddraig, you speak as though this mundane Devil were your equal."

"…Sona is my best friend," he said with a strong voice. "She's been through everything with me. Of course I think a lot about her. Honestly… I think she's better than me in every regard."

"Oh, Ddraig…" Tiamat's voice shifted. She looked away again as her face looked stricken with sorrow. "Your madness is unsettling. Please remember who you are. You'd never say such things to a lowly mundane…"

He opened his mouth as a boiling rage washed through him. But… none of this was productive. This was just a huge distraction he couldn't afford. He swallowed his anger and tried again.

"We have to look for clues or something," he said as he blew out some steam. Literally. "If we can get out of here then I can fly up and take a look around. Maybe then I'll be able to spot the court—"

"Was this one not one of yours?" Tiamat said suddenly.

Issei leapt a few inches off the ground as she pulled out a live Saji straight out of a hole in the wall. The Pawn of Sitri was bloodied and broken, his suit was torn to shreds, and his flesh was scorched black. He was hardly recognizable.

"Hey! Saji!" Issei rushed to him and assisted Tiamat in getting him into a comfortable spot.

"…Don't use my name so casually," Saji retorted. He sounded fine… with the exception of baring his teeth from constant agony. "Hyoudou-san, geez, it is you. But at least you're not that Rolan jerk."

"What happened?" Issei pressed.

Saji sat against the wall. His face twitched in pain until he was comfortable enough to speak. "That thing you tried to attack came after us. We tried to get away. There's no way that guy is human— or anything remotely like it. I tried to fight him to give Kaichou and the others some time. Rolan took them away from me."

"Impressive," commented Tiamat with some actual interest. "Foolish, but impressive. Not many are willing to face against the likes of an Outsider."

"…I don't know what that is," Saji said after staring at her.

"Um… Richard-san mentioned it once," Issei muttered as he tried to recall. "They're not from, uh, our place of existence. I don't get it either."

"Oh. So like the eldritch abominations from Lovecraft."

"Accurate enough," Tiamat said.

"What happened to you?" Issei leapt back to the topic. "What did McCain do to you?"

Saji's brows furrowed. He lifted up his left hand… it was shriveled and blackened as though it had rotted away for years. He could still move it, however. "I tried to restrain him with Vritra's Absorption Line, my Sacred Gear. But when I tried using the Cursed Flames…"

He flinched in the remembrance of pain. Issei put a hand to his chest to keep him from moving and making things worse.

"I was on fire…" Saji growled in a flash-sweat. "It hurt. I thought I was going to die but Vritra deactivated his power before I could."

"Do you know which way Sona and the others went?"

Saji scowled at him for calling his King something so casually. His eyes flicked further down the hallway, "That way, around the corner. I saw some bright lights and a couple explosions. There was a very short fight. I don't know what happened after that. I blacked out for some time."

Issei hoped those bright lights had been because Rolan had been protecting Sona. Because if he had done anything to her…

Tiamat's hand gripped his shoulder. He could feel her cold touch reach him through the Scale Mail.

He forced himself to calm down.

"Tia-nee, I need you to take Saji out of here," he said. "He's hurt. I'm going to go after Sona."

"Are you sure that is wise, Ddraig?" Tiamat questioned with a slight tilt of her head. "He seems adequate enough on his own."

"I've been through worse," Saji said with a fierce look in his eyes. He had meant it. "Don't worry about me. Time is the enemy right now. You need to get to Kaichou as soon as possible. My suit already sent a distress call to the other Rounders nearby. Sirs Kayla and Trist will find me."

…Assuming they weren't caught in this mess as well.

Issei didn't want to leave him. He really didn't. He wanted to tell Tiamat to take him away regardless.

But he needed her help in a fight. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to control himself if he looked at Adams McCain again. He might lose himself and destroy the entire continent if he went all out.

The World had blinded him. It had only been a few short seconds but he was preparing to unleash _everything_ in his arsenal to destroy McCain.

He needed to be in control if he was going to save his friends.

"I'll get her out of here, Saji," Issei promised.

Saji bowed his head and grimaced. "You better. So help me, Hyoudou-san, if you don't…"

They said nothing else. Issei got up quickly and rand down the hallway. He knelt down without losing speed to tear his helmet out of the crevice he made. Tiamat was right by him as they went.

They turned the corner Saji had pointed at and found the state of a ruined mess. The hallway was blackened from a fire that left ash everywhere. There were a few footprints on the ground.

One trail left down the hallway. The other through the giant gaping hole leading deeper into the castle.

His mind raced, trying to figure out which way they could have gone. He searched for clues, little details. He saw the ash again and looked at the footprints. The way they were disturbed wasn't from the heavy and rapid steps of those running.

The ones leading into the hole were, however.

Without a doubt Rolan used his abilities to scorch the area and create the hole. It looked like he ran as soon as he could.

Issei desperately hoped with all his heart Sona had followed him.

…Because that was the path Issei chose to follow.

0-0-0

"For the last fucking time…" Rolan growled as he yanked on Ruruko's arm another time. "We _can't_ go back!"

"B-But Genshirou-sempai and Kaichou!"

"We have a dead man after us!" he shouted and pulled her harder. She lost her footing, stumbled, and he dragged her.

Tomoe rushed to her side, picked her up, and tried to get her to run some more.

"Burst!" Rolan commanded as he threw his arm behind them.

A concussive blast of fire blew out of his palm. It traveled through the air like a rocket but never reached its target.

There was a flash of steel and the flaming missile was cut in half. It lost all of its heat and power instantly, ignoring the laws of thermal physics.

The Grim Reaper who wielded the katana continued to run after them. He only paused to get a solid footing before bringing his sword around in an impossible stroke. Gods would have surrendered their status to wield such a talent.

Rolan knew exactly who this man was. _Was._ He had been an Acolyte of the Blade affinity, born in the modern age where swordplay was no longer used in warfare.

His name was Kaname Shisharo. He was once a Predator but a decade ago.

Had Hades been _just_ the god of dead then this wouldn't have happened. Reviving the dead was one thing. Reviving a Predator was still plausible but much harder. But to revive something meant to change its status. The World would read it as 'this person was once dead but isn't anymore'. Sure, most cases would treat the revived individual as if nothing had changed. He was alive again, big whoop.

But Kaname's technique required he remained _unchanged._ No ands, ifs, or buts about it. Kaname had the ability to cut through existence itself because he swung his sword at a certain angle, had his foot one way, was breathing this way, was thinking about this thought, had a heartrate at this speed, and countless other measures.

Age had been his enemy. But there were ways around that in the Acolyte circle.

Kaname had found a glitch in existence itself. By accessing all of these possibilities did a phenomenon happen that was blind to the World. It never would have thought it to be possible and therefore _wasn't_ possible. Such a blind possibility didn't exist.

And that was why Kaname could cut anything. Because what he was doing was a byproduct of the Abyss.

But he was dead and revived. Those were two statuses added to his soul-resume. That added a weight he couldn't afford to his technique. It should have been sloppy and wouldn't have worked.

However… Hades was more than just a god of the dead. Hades was just a stage name.

Hades was a Primordial Lawmaker. Adams McCain had called him [Chronicle]. He was the Law of Chronicle.

Not that it meant much to Rolan. He could make a guess as to what sort of Law Hades really was, but couldn't get a grasp on the specifics unless he was exposed to Hades' Primordial form.

So until then…

…More running it was.

"Oh hey, it's the ferret's chew toy," a chirpy voice, well, chirped right at his ear. "Haven't seen you in a while. Still haven't found Bubba yet?"

"No one is going to get that reference!" he shouted, spun on his heels, and threw a wave of fire and ice at the figure floating above them.

Nothing he could do would be able to touch her. Pluto was an Original even if her regalia had been revoked. She had all the power without the authority.

Taking away someone's license didn't mean they couldn't drive or shoot a gun. Legally, sure. But there really wasn't anything that _could_ stop them.

Pluto was such the case as his fire and ice techniques collided against each other, blew steam everywhere, and canceled each other out. She didn't have to bat an eye to have this little _accident._

"Speaking of references…" Pluto hummed as she flew after them. She sat on her scythe like a witch's broom. "What's up with the 'pair of threes' joke? I don't get it. But it's in all of Arry's stories. In fact, I heard it the other week when Benia-chan had a card game against that Gabe tool."

"Buzz off!" he waved another hand at her to shoo away. He didn't throw anything at her this time.

…Nor would he dare to tell the likes of an Original to go the fuck away.

She was humored. So long as she was entertained and not _pissed off_ was she going to keep at the game of tag. Plus, she was the one Original who was in charge of All Things Mischief. She was the trickster who let loose the worst kind of evil in the omniverse simply because someone pissed her off.

Rolan chose very wisely to run away from her as well. Partly because he didn't want to get caught up in whatever she had planned for him and the other part because he wanted to keep in her good spirits.

Fucking Lawmakers. Always thinking the mortal planes was a giant game to them.

"Shi-chan!" Pluto waved at Kaname who was still pursuing them. "Why don't you cut right here?"

"DUCK!" Rolan shouted and threw the girls to the ground.

There was another flash of steel. Kaname was a good fifteen meters away from them and yet his blade had been able to splice through the air to reach them. An invisible thread cut immaculately through the walls, the sliding doors, and the pillars keeping the ceiling up.

They all began to topple down on top of them like giant dominoes.

Rolan roared out and leapt up to his feet. Aura pulsed throughout his body as stood on top of Tomoe. His damn stunt had her head hitting the floor and was too slow to recover. She was dazed and didn't realize the danger she was in.

One such pillar tilted over and would have crushed her if he hadn't been there. He grunted in effort as his body bucked from the strain. His body was a distorted wave as his Aura buzzed through his skin, reinforcing his body to withstand the weight and impact of the beam.

She probably would have survived, being a Devil and all.

They were pinned. Pillars crossed over the other to cut off their path along with most of the ceiling. They could try to climb out through the roof if they had time. They would have to go one at a time to squeeze through.

He'd also have to stay perfectly still to keep the rest of the ceiling from crushing them. His body was shaking from the strain. He didn't have any of the gear to reinforce himself.

What he wouldn't give to have his coat right now.

More importantly, Kaname wasn't going to give them a chance to flee.

"Incinerate!" Rolan roared and pointed a finger at Kaname's general direction.

A beam of fire blasted out of the tip two inches thick. It glowed bright white by its heat as it pierced through the obstacles to reach the former Predator.

Kaname brought his sword around once again. He swiped at the beam right before it would have reached him. The heat did not affect him as a hairline crack appeared on the beam itself… and start to ride up to separate it. Rolan's technique was erased out of existence as Kaname's overpowered it.

Rolan jerked as the cut traveled up his arm and into his chest. And then it continued to travel _through_ him and reach behind him. The building groaned as more things were split in half. Other than a few pillars crumbling down and releasing a new gap, nothing else fell.

Rolan wobbled where he remained pinned. His shirt was soaked with blood from all around him. Kaname's technique had cut through him in a perfect line under his armpits.

His skin was beginning to turn blue. His veins were starting to light up like molten lava. While the World couldn't see Kaname's technique, it could see everything it touched. It was the World that made things topple over. It saw Rolan was cut as well but was beginning to question why he hadn't fallen either.

Already he could feel his own system turn against him and try to remove him. It was beginning to see him as an irregularity. Something that needed to be removed by any means necessary.

He could feel it tug at him, trying to eject him into the Dimensional Gap.

"Go!" he shouted to the two Devils on the floor. "Get out of here!"

"My leg!" Tomoe shouted. "It's stuck!"

"I can't get her out!" Ruruko returned as she tried to raise the rubble covering up to Tomoe's thigh.

"Are you fucking kidding—"

Kaname had reached the edge of the destruction he wrought and brought his sword around in three consecutive arcs. It was a clean swing in one fluent motion— a mere twist of his wrist allowed him to keep the strength of his stroke. There was no resistance. His blade did more than cut through the obstacles in front of him; it removed them as they lost their foundations and turned into nothingness.

Under the hood, a mask gleamed.

Kaname was using the ultimate ability only the greatest of Acolytes could unlock. All of his Aura was focused and condensed to form that mask. His affinity with the Blade turned purely conceptual. It no longer became something that was burdened by physical limitations. It was only limited by the power of his imagination.

That combined with his ability to cut through existence itself was what made him into a Predator in the first place.

It was as though a wave of a thousand cuts sank into Rolan instead of simply three. A net of strokes was thrown at him that should have minced him. But he refused to die. He refused for his vessel to crumble apart.

And all the more, the World tried harder to eject him. It was going to win should Kaname do anything else to him.

Rolan drew Aura from deep within his core. The Shadow of the Ocean, the Leviathan Nightmare that slept inside him, awakened. The room was filled with the miasma of cold and darkness befitting from the deepest depths of the ocean that no light could penetrate.

The Leviathan stitched his body back together. But the World continued to fight against him. The Leviathan could only prolong his existence in this planet until the World overcame their efforts.

The sound of gagging and groaning came from the two Devils being consumed by the Shadow of the Ocean. They couldn't withstand being exposed to its miasma even with their attunement to all things sinful.

The Shadow of the Planet, the Behemoth Nightmare, stirred under his feet. The dark miasma of the Leviathan was pushed aside by the soothing warm winds of a summer evening. Counteractive against the Leviathan, the Shadow of the Planet ate away at all things sinful and replenished the world with righteousness.

Through the Behemoth's presence, Tomoe was able to break herself free. It was a matter of causality, in a sense. Some of Kaname's strike _could have_ knocked a few things around just enough to grant Tomoe enough space to pull herself out. Such was the grant and benevolence of the Shadow of the Planet.

Respectively, they were known and feared as the Storm King and Gentle Giant Predators when the world was still young and learning.

Kaname hesitated. It was a natural instinct to an Acolyte. He had sensed the presence of not just one of the worst Primeval Nightmares but _two._ Two that were once Predators at that.

It was that half-second Rolan needed to get his second wind.

"Freeze!" he commanded as a red and blue mask formed across his face. Both eyes turned blue and blazed with a light that left the shadows running away.

Everything in his vision froze solid. From the dust that blew around refusing to be settled, to the wind that blew the dust around, to the Aura permeating the air, to the process of time itself.

Everything was coated in a layer of ice and kept it still.

…Everything except for Kaname. His steel-gray mask shimmered in the light as he moved as soon as Rolan's lips moved. He brought his sword around again and had it striking against Rolan's command.

Two conceptual forces collided. Kaname's sword should have been parried by Rolan's command over his Frost affinity. It should have dulled the effects and turn the ice into something more mundane.

But Kaname had a second technique: his ability to cut through existence.

Physical or conceptual, it didn't matter. Kaname could cut through anything.

All Rolan could do was slow it down by just a fragment. Kaname's limbs coiled from the cold and his blade buffed against the imaginary arctic winds. That was all.

Fortunately, it was more than enough. Kaname had been able to cut through the surface layer of Rolan's attack but couldn't finish the swing. His technique required his swing be _perfect_ without any changes. A muscle spasm was more than enough to not bring out the full effects of his Abyssal cutting.

This was how Rolan fought. Not through raw brute strength until the enemy caved in. Through technique, planning, and exploiting weaknesses. It was how he killed Kaname the first time around.

But he doubted he could replicated the miracle from that day.

That was almost ten years ago. He was older now, more experienced, and had faced against forces that made Kaname look like a schoolyard bully.

Meanwhile, Kaname had remained exactly the same. He fought the same way using the same methods of combat. He didn't look any different than how he did the morning prior to his death. The only difference was the Grim Reaper cloak.

Rolan tossed the pillar off of him and conjured a blade of ice. It was a near identical replica of Kaname's katana, the _Fuyu no Kishi._ He held it in the same grip and stance he had seen Kaname take those years ago.

After seeing Kaname use that technique once, Rolan had spent years studying it in order to replicate it. It was something of the Abyss and he had hoped understanding it would bring him a step closer to finding the cure to his status as a Betrayer. It had been fruitless.

He did, however, keep Kaname's technique for himself.

Kaname noticed it as well. His eyes widened slightly as he shifted into the matching stance.

"Come at me, you dead fuck," Rolan snarled as he drew in more power from the Leviathan. His skin crackled with energy, burning off like cinders in a furnace. His body was falling apart from the wounds and from too much exertion.

Ruruko and Tomoe had managed to climb out of the debris and were running away. He fulfilled his favor to Sona and brought them to safety.

…Or so he thought.

There was a scream from one of the girls. Rolan snapped his head around to see _another_ Reaper had appeared. It was a little girl who had risen out of the ground through a magic circle. She was dressed in the same black cloak but the hood was down. Her hair was unnaturally white as though all the life within her had been bleached. In her hand was a scythe too big for her to be able to carry under normal circumstances.

She twirled it around as though it were a baton and stood her ground.

"Sherry-chan!" Pluto, who had been munching on a bag of popcorn that appeared out of nowhere the entire time, waved at the newcomer. "Over here! Those two are about to escape!"

Of course. Of course! When does anything go in his favor?!

Rolan swung his blade first. Kaname had matched his swing with superior speed. Both their strikes cut through existence and collided against the other. A vacuum no thicker than a hairline ripped through reality when these two anomalies met. Reality stretched and bent in order to fill in the gap they created, tearing the surroundings as it did.

Kaname's cloak was torn off of him as well as a good chunk of his flesh. The same applied to Rolan. More wounds were pulled open as reality used his mass to fill in the gap as well. But he stood his ground, unlike Kaname who fell to one knee.

At the same time, more of Rolan's true form was exposed to existence. The grotesque form of frozen armor and flaming blood could be seen. Blood dripped off of his hands— Snow's blood from when he murdered her. It was a constant reminder of his sin.

And the World fought zealously to eject him into the Dimensional Gap. The Leviathan couldn't keep up in rejuvenating his body.

 **gEtAWayfRoMhEM!** he roared in a voice that should not have been real. Reality shuddered as the sound of something that did not exist vibrated the air.

He moved away from Kaname, traversing through the physical plane with less interference now that his true self was being exposed. More of his vessel was being shed off with the Leviathan struggling to keep it intact. But as he moved, he was making matters worse. He was purposely abusing his status as a Betrayer to go against the Laws of the World. He crossed through debris and obstacles, all but phasing through them, and came at the Reaper about to strike at the Devils in but an instant.

And as if that wasn't enough…

"DON'T YOU HURT HER!"

…The Dragoon shows up _now of all times_ and slammed a shoulder into Rolan's gut. His body buckled as draconian plating snapped him in two. More bones broke, more of his vessel was wounded and lost, and the World tried even harder to fight against him.

Now it was more than a pulling sensation. Now it was a colossal hindrance. Rolan could barely move now that the World was trying exceptionally hard to remove him. It was a struggle to stay in this plane of existence.

 **ReAdtHEFucKINGsiTuAtIon!**

Rolan threw Issei off of him with such impossible ease. And a bit too much force. The Dragoon Predator flew off of him as though the moon itself slammed into him. He crashed through the remainder of the hall that hadn't crumbled apart.

"So this is what you've become, Black Sun," Tiamat entered the hallway after sidestepping past Issei. Her eyes were nothing but judgmental as they bore down at him. "Disgusting. Repulsive. It suits you well."

He chose to not comment. There were other things to worry about.

Such as Kaname, who had been able to recover enough to tread forward.

Issei climbed out of the wreckage as easily as someone would break from the surface of water. Dust and rubble rolled off of him and plaster snapped as he moved. Nothing kept him down as his draconian might radiated off of his armor.

"Oh hey!" Pluto chirped up. "It's Weeaboo-chan!"

She flew down to the center of the hallway to be in front of Issei.

Kaname stopped his advancement. And the other Reaper, Sherry, stood straight and rested her scythe against her shoulder.

Even Rolan chose to stay perfectly still.

It was a temporary ceasefire in order to humor the whims of an Original.

"I am not a weeaboo!" he shouted back. "I'm Japanese! This is how we talk! It's impossible for me to be a weeaboo! If anyone's a weeaboo, it's you! You're not Japanese… are you?"

"When in Rome…" Pluto shrugged and bobbled her head around. She hung upside-down on her scythe from her legs. "Do as the Romans do."

"But you're speaking in English…"

"Well, yeah! This story's written in English! What? You think you're speaking Japanese?! And you wonder why I call you a weeaboo."

"…But… I am speaking Japanese…"

"Ddraig," Tiamat said suddenly.

"R-Right," Issei stammered and looked up at Pluto once more. "Nimura-san and Meguri-san are here. But I don't see Sona. Where is she?"

Pluto kicked her feet around as though she were sitting right-side-up instead of supposedly dangling on the shaft of her scythe. "The four-eyes with the bob cut? My Most Vileness took her away."

Issei's body went very still. But his draconian essence began to heat the area around them. It pulsed out through hardly restrained rage.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

Pluto put her fingers to her lips and, literally, sealed them shut. A zipper lining appeared and closed. Then, she twisted her fingers just as a lock appeared. And then she flicked her hand aside… to throw away the key that had done it.

" **FUckIng ORIgInaLS,** " Rolan swore. A bit of himself had recovered. So long as he didn't move and played dead could he suppress the World's interference until it went away.

"Where is she?!" Issei's rage boiled to new heights. Red aura crushed the flooring he was standing on.

Pluto crossed her arms and turned her body away from him. She wasn't going to talk.

Issei's response wasn't to try to convince her. He wasn't the sort to think things through. His mindset locked on the World didn't help either.

Issei's response was to let out a roar of rage that ruptured eardrums. Ruruko and Tomoe flinched and covered their ears. Power cycled around Issei as he readied himself to strike at Pluto.

The Original to All Things Mischief found the dirt under her fingernails to be more entertaining.

Thrusters burned at his back and launched him forward like a rocket.

Her scythe swerved upwards at the last instance and Issei flew right past her. She hadn't batted an eye.

With that trigger, the fight resumed.

Kaname moved; his body was a blur as his Aura accelerated him through the hallway. He was nowhere near as fast as Issei had but that wasn't the point. He had gotten himself into a position to where his blade could strike at the Dragoon.

Kaname swung his sword.

…And an impossibility among impossibilities happened.

Issei flipped around and brought his arm around in a swing. A blade as black as the vastness of space appeared brace of his gauntlet. It struck against Kaname's sword and _parried_ it.

Nothing else happened. Existence wasn't cut. Kaname's technique was nullified.

To call it a parry was a gross understatement. Kaname was no stronger than the average person. Amplifications from the use of Aura only put him in league with an average of the supernatural community. He had the speed off a Knight and the strength of a Rook on his best day.

He did not have the raw power of a Dragon.

The _Fuyu no Kishi_ shattered from the impact and Kaname's arm was crushed by the power behind Issei's swing. The joint snapped and bent six different ways. Kaname let out a bellowing scream of agony and surprise.

It wasn't over. Issei grabbed the former Predator's head with his gauntlet. Red energy glowed within his palm.

"Dragon Shot!"

And Kaname's head, as well as a good portion of his upper body, was disintegrated in a flash of red light.

The rest of his body fell apart. They turned into strands of Law written by [Chronicle] and then broke apart into individual letters. They appeared as sounds and glimmers of light until they faded away into nothing.

Un-fucking-believable.

Rolan had this entire strategy set up to take on Kaname and overpower him. It would have been over in ten moves. What does Issei do? Swoop in, completely breaks Kaname's technique, and kills the fucker in _one_ move.

Fucking Dragons and their fucking _bullshit_ raw power.

"Bye, Shi-chan!" Pluto waved off the particles of what remained of Kaname Shisharo. She didn't need to move her zipped mouth for her words to be heard perfectly clear.

"I'm not playing around," Issei turned to face her. "Tell me where she is."

"Why do you care so much about _her_?" questioned the other Reaper with a damning voice.

She slammed the blade of her scythe into the ground and began to drag it as she came forward. Ruruko and Tomoe moved out of her way as she approached Issei. Her eyes were wide and full of a fury that didn't belong on the face of a little girl. She was too young to know what that sort of hate was like.

"Ayame…" Issei's voice… weakened. As though all of his foundations and principles meant nothing in the presence of this Reaper.

…Rolan understood now. _This_ Grim Reaper was Ayame Nakashima. This was the little girl who Issei cared for, whom the Vampire had cursed and killed, whom Issei then had to bury himself and blame Rolan for.

Hades, or [Chronicle], whichever didn't matter, had revived her and turned her into a Grim Reaper just as he did with Kaname.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" the little Reaper barked with spit flying out of her mouth. "You can't call me that. You didn't call me that. I was just _Sherry_ to you. You couldn't see me for who I was. You don't recognize me. You forgot about me and treated me like a stranger. It's all about those girls now. They're all you care about now. You didn't try to avenge me. You didn't even try to save me.

"If you did love me, why didn't you save me, Ise-nii?"

Issei buckled as though he had taken a grievous critical blow. His shoulder shook as his head bowed slightly. His armor rattled as the plating shifted around in response to his distress.

He was falling apart because of this girl. Some sort of psychological trauma? A relapse to what sort of things the Vampire did to his soul?

"You're right," he said.

The shaking stopped. He lifted his head. Green eyes glowed behind that helmet.

Ayame stopped walking, blinking with surprise.

"I blinded myself," Issei went on. "I buried you. I washed your body and wrapped you and _buried you._ You were dead. So when I saw you again I _couldn't_ believe it. I had accepted I had failed and accepted you were dead. I was grieving but willing to move on.

"I owe you more than an apology. I want you to come home with me. I want you to be my sister. I want you to live with me. Come back with me, Ayame. You have a home you belong to."

The grip on Ayame's scythe tightened as she snarled, "You liar."

Issei was silent for a moment. His voice came out tender and gentle. "I'm not. I'll prove it to you."

He spread his legs apart, bent his knees slightly, and shifted into the Assaulter stance.

Ayame recognized it immediately and got ready herself. She raised her scythe, readying to swing it around and lop his head off as soon as he moved. Magic glyphs appeared on her cloak, amplifying her properties to match his speed and strength.

Rolan recognized many of those sigils… and especially the tint of red energy powering those glyphs.

Her cloak was lined with dragon-slaying spells being juiced by the blood of Samael.

Now he understood why this little girl was revived as a Grim Reaper and tossed into this mess. Hades had intended to use her as a weapon against Issei. What better way to challenge a Predator than to use something that could guarantee hitting their soft spot.

Issei loved this girl. It was as clear as day. He wasn't going to listen to his instincts and avoid her. He was going to get as close to her as possible.

And she would get through that like a blade between the ribs. Deep and lethal.

Rolan thought about getting involved. He had recovered enough to where the World was getting slightly confused and holding back its efforts in ejecting him. He could step in and either obliterate the girl or at least reprimand her. Issei might through a bitch-fit but it was better than him dying.

The reason why he didn't was because of Tiamat. She was watching him carefully just as she was watching the drama fold out.

That… and Pluto, who was so deeply engrossed in the melodrama she was at the edge of her seat. Ruining her fun would promise him a ticket into the Dimensional Gap.

Issei charged forward with green flames propelling him forward from his back. But he did not move as blindly fast as he did to strike at Pluto. He moved only enough for the once-normal girl to be able to see him coming.

Ayame moved forward just as fast, taking off in a sprint that could have only been learned on the playground. It had no form and it was lopsided with the scythe trailing behind her. Hades may have packed her with dragon-slaying properties but he hadn't taken the time to train her. She was just a little girl with a really big weapon.

She swung it around like a golf club, having it arc upwards. She didn't try to keep the momentum going for a second swing or put up a guard once she missed.

Issei slowed down at the last instance and threw his arms around her.

Smoke began to rise out of his armor as the sound of sizzling bacon hit the air. The smell of sulfur and cooked meat came afterwards.

Issei let out a yelp of pain as he leapt away upon instinct. His armor was melted where it had touched Ayame. It glowed with his draconian essence and gradually repaired itself. It was a slow process compared to what Rolan had been aware of before.

The curse of Samael, he realized, was hindering Issei's draconian properties. Even a touch like this was going to be his bane.

Evidently, Hades didn't need to train Ayame if Issei couldn't touch her.

She swung her scythe around once again. Issei slapped the blade aside at the flat with the back of his gauntlet.

The emerald at the back exploded as the gauntlet shattered in with a burst of heated metal flying everywhere. Issei let out another yelp as he drew back the bloodied hand.

"You liar," Ayame repeated… with the exact same tone. Not a change.

Rolan realized she was stuck in some sort of loop.

Ah. So that's the whole picture.

"I'm not lying!" Issei shouted back and charged forward. His arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her body, and lifted her off the ground. More smoke appeared as the glyphs on her cloak brightened.

"I'm… not… _lying_!" Issei snarled through immense pain. His armor was rotting and chipping away. He coughed, letting out a wad of blood through the gap of his helm. His legs were wobbling from the strain.

"Hyoudou-san!" Ruruko, of all people, shouted from the background. "Stop! You'll hurt yourself if you stay like that!"

"I'm not letting her go!" he argued. "I can't. I won't! Ayame… please listen to me!"

"Let go of me!" Ayame shouted and tried to squirm out of his grip. "I hate you, Issei! I HATE YOU! You let me die! You let the monster that killed our parents kill me! All you care about is yourself!"

Anymore of this and Rolan would need to step in. Issei was melting away like the Wicked Witch of the West. But was it worth it to interrupt the entertainments of an Original? He might not be able to find his way back home from the Dimensional Gap like last time.

"I… held you like this…" Issei said as he fell to his knees, still holding on to the girl. "At your last moments. I held you close to me. I kept doing it even after… you were gone."

"You let me go. You buried me! You forgot about me!"

"I never forgot!" he shouted with newfound strength. "I've always loved you and always regretted never saving you! You called me your brother; we were family and I let you die! You were the closest thing I had since my parents…"

He held her a little tighter, leaning his head against her shoulder even as her cloak ate away at his brow. There was hardly any metal protecting him this time. The cloak was starting to reach at his clothes and his skin.

"I _thought_ you were my brother," she spat out with venom. She jerked around and yet he held himself tight around her. "We were both victims of the Face-Stealing Monster. But there's nothing between us. Nothing! You lied to me and abandoned me!"

" **Hyoudou** ," Rolan spoke up while keeping Pluto's reaction within his peripheral vision. " **Nothing you say will get through to her. Her mind is set in its ways.** "

There. He picked threw a mental dart at the millions of gods living in this world and prayed to it silently. He prayed Issei would have a lick of sense within him to catch his words.

The mask fell off at the helm. One of Issei's serpentine green eyes poked through as it glanced at Rolan. It was bloodshot between tears and unspeakable agony. The pupil was no longer diamond shaped but dilated. It was a wonder if Issei could even see him despite the enclosed space they were in.

"If she won't listen…" Issei sighed as his grip lessened slightly. "Then I'll just have to show her. Ayame… please…"

Rolan's scowl deepened to the point where his brows hid the upper half of his vision.

Issei had adjusted his grip around her to where his hands scooped around the girl's arms… and groped at her chest. His right hand specifically rubbed against her right breast.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Ayame screamed out with protest. She jerked a little harder and it was Issei's other hand that held her down. He bore his fangs as his both hands began to melt away. Draconian plating no longer protected him. The disgusting scent of acid-rotten flesh struck everyone.

The two Devils couldn't withstand the stench. They both turned away with their hands covering their noses. Tomoe took a few hurried steps away and started to dry-heave.

Rolan wasn't sure what was more disturbing. Issei's body decomposing as though dipped in acid… or the level of his perversity as he tried to cup a feel off a little girl _while_ decomposing.

He knew Issei was a pervert. He underestimated immensely how much.

"L-Let go of me, you… y-you… hnn~"

Ayame was starting to squirm. It was different than trying to break out of his grip. It was more so her fighting against herself to suppress the physiological reaction of being touched. Her face was reddening with tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes.

Issei had gotten a good feel of the texture hidden under her cloak. He found what he needed. He went in for the lethal strike.

He found the tip of her right nipple despite the heavy clothing and gave it a pinch.

"No~" Ayame let out a moan. Her body leaned forward as a shudder passed through her. Her struggling began to die down. "D-Don't… n-n-not there…"

Rolan turned his head to look at Tiamat. He pointed a finger at the show with a face that told her ' _is this seriously happening?'_

Tiamat nodded. Yes, this was really happening. She was scowling at it with disapproval but wasn't going to step in to stop it.

Pluto, meanwhile, had found the twist to be exceptional. Both her hands were covering her mouth and her eyes were wide. She was so interested in the show she couldn't dare to blink to miss a chance.

Ayame all but sat on Issei at this point. Her legs kicked as her thighs rubbed against another. Her hands, still held against her sides by Issei's arms, were clawing at her cloak. They were moving dangerously close to her lower body. Her fingers twitched, fighting whether to give in to the pleasure and reinforce it or to remain idle.

"I… I hate…" she began to pant. "I don't… This is… You… I… I-Ise-nii… Ise-nii please…"

Her voice _changed._ The tears began to fall from her face. Her face was in a mix of pain and pleasure. She continued to squirm as she panted and her head bucked around.

"Please… save me," she sobbed. "I don't want to fight Ise-nii… But he's making me… He—"

A chain made out of the Law of Chronicle appeared around her neck and tightened around her windpipe. She gagged once. Her eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed back with spite and hatred.

She pressed her back against him, trying to dig in the burning of her cloak against him.

"Just _die_ already!" she spat with the same venom as before.

A spasm of pleasure swept through her. And her eyes softened to desperation and sorrow.

"Ise-nii… please!"

The chains glowed again and ate away at her mind, reverting her back to what state of mind Hades had wanted her to be in.

Issei was hardly anything at this point. He should have been dead. Blood began to pool around him. His body was rotting away with gaping wounds. The motions of his fingers had died down from decayed nerves. He wouldn't be able to keep up with his act as things continued at this pace.

This went beyond the endurance of a Dragon. Rolan had come across a few of them before. Sure, the Welsh Dragon was a legend among legends. But this level of endurance and regeneration was absurd even in their standards. Especially when it was battling against the curse of Samael, one of the few dragon-slaying entities on the planet. Issei should have been a puddle of ooze a few minutes ago.

"Ayame…" his voice was hoarse and dry as though he had spent an eternity smoking. "Don't fight. I… will… protect you…"

Wings fluttered out of his back. Wings blazing with the cosmic energies of the omniverse and streaming colors only found in the Dimensional Gap. They were beyond beauty and comprehension as they were comprised of geometric markings no mortal mind could ever hope to understand with eons of research. They were created by beings older than those who have been Before the Beginning.

Rolan recognized the marks that made up the Gift of Seduction. The slender wings came out of Issei's lower back and spread as wide as he was tall per each wing. They stretched out and flared as though they had just been awakened from a long slumber.

They moved, curling up and wrapping themselves around Issei like a sash. But they also stretched forward to wrap themselves around Ayame in the process.

They hugged her as Issei rested his lips against the back of her head. His eyes shut.

A dam broke within Ayame as she was bathed in the Gift of Seduction's radiance. The tears flooded out of her as she let out a sob full of too many emotions. The chain around her neck brightened and tightened to the point where it was going to sink into her flesh or crush her throat completely. But it never did. The chains rattled as they could go no further.

They crumbled apart as they lost the energy to maintain their hold. They turned into a dust of letters before fading away into nothingness.

Ayame immediately leapt off of Issei and threw her cloak off of her as though it were on fire. She tore off the accessories underneath her cloak from jewelry, to gloves and wrappings, to her boots, and a pendant around her neck. She threw them aside with such a savage frenzy she almost tore into herself.

"Ise-nii!" she cried and returned to Issei. She fell to her knees and cupped his face. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't die, please! Ise-nii!"

The Gift of Seduction fluttered and retracted. They moved with a mind of their own to sink into his back. Their role had been fulfilled.

Issei lifted his head with as much strength as he could. He opened one glazed eye and met the little girl.

He smiled. It made for a terrible sight in his ruined state.

But it was a smile as brilliant as the sun and filled with heart Rolan hadn't seen since…

"Hi, Ayame…" Issei said in a raspy voice. "I got your message…"

Ayame cried harder as she gripped his shoulder and sobbed away, burying his face in the lone spot that wasn't damaged.

0-0-0

"The Gift of Fucking Seduction," Rolan swore. He looked like a damn checkered board from all the slashes he took from Kaname. The Shadow of the Ocean continued to stitch him together with its endless supply of life energy. At least now the World wasn't trying to kick him out of his own planet.

"I wish you weren't here to see that," Issei muttered. "You being here kinda ruins the moment. It feels like you took a dump in my own house."

"Likewise," Rolan retorted. "I wish I didn't just see you trying to get a little girl off. The pervert among perverts even has the Gift of Seduction. Anything with a pair of tits beware."

Time had passed enough to where the two of them had recovered. Though they still sat on the floor. They only had been able to talk freely while their bodies rejuvenated.

He watched Issei's form regenerate. Bones regrew and maintained their structure, skin knitted and stretched, muscle fibers wove together, a whole network of nerves realigned themselves, and so on.

All that… and yet it couldn't fix Issei's dimwitted face. That remained as average as ever.

"It broke Hades' spell, didn't it?" Issei countered.

Rolan cocked a brow. "Sure. At the cost of this little girl falling in love with you. Oh. And the peanut gallery."

He pointed a thumb at the two Devils still in the background.

Tomoe had one hand covering her mouth, doing what she could to hide any expression from being revealed. Her eyes continued to stare at Issei, soaking in every detail of his presence through her vision. She never looked away nor did she react when her inquiry looked her way.

"O-Oh…" Ruruko, however, was having a mental breakdown. "N-No… G-Genshirou-sempai. Ruruko, remember Genshirou-sempai. Genshirou-sempai is the only one for me… E-Even if Hyoudou-san is… No, no, no! Evil thoughts go away!"

She suddenly blinked as she realized something.

"Oh no! Genshirou-sempai! What happened to Genshirou-sempai?!"

Rolan noticed Issei had a nervous smile as he turned his face away from the Devil girl. It was the sort of thing one would do to ensure the other couldn't see the look on their face.

"It feels like you cheated," Pluto said as she sat on her knees between both Issei and Rolan. "Dra'cueri wings shouldn't count. But… those you got from charming a Primordial. I guess it counts."

"Why are you still here?" Ayame questioned the Original with such a blunt glare it could have rivaled Rolan's. Nay, it might have surpassed his quality since she was the only one brave enough (or not stupid like Issei) to give the Original such a look.

She was also sitting on Issei's lap while he was in the midst of healing.

"Because His Most Vileness told me to keep an eye on you," Pluto answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the planet. She even threw up her hands. "Just because you suddenly switched sides doesn't mean my job's changed. But don't think I'm going to help you, Sherry-chan."

"It's Ayame," she retorted with the same blunt tone and some extra dryness to it. " _Hyoudou Ayame._ "

Issei held her a little tighter, making her blush in the process.

"This fixation with the mundane…" Tiamat muttered as she sat across of Pluto. "I do not understand, Ddraig. What compels you to go to such lengths to secure a bond with them? Even as a Dragon you will surely outlive most of them. The Devils, who may live for centuries, are still just a fragment compared to us. And we, Lawmakers, are transcendent and considered ageless compared to the likes of Dragons."

"I don't think you'd be able to understand, Tia-nee," Issei sighed.

"Tits," Rolan said bluntly. He received a glare from Ayame for daring to try and challenge her.

Issei opened his mouth to argue, simply because it had come from Rolan and nothing else. Nothing came out of him. He couldn't argue against such a truth no matter what.

"What happened to Sona?" he asked after a moment.

"The enemy has her," Rolan answered gravely. "We were surrounded by Hades and his Grim Reapers. We got separated. I got these kids out of there but they captured her. They're going to keep her alive, though. I heard them say they wanted to use her as bait for you."

"…Why me?" he said after a pause to think.

Dear God! He can think! It's a fucking miracle!

"Because you mean something to the Queen, Ophis," Rolan returned. His scowl deepened. "You're going to go rush in to save Sona. Ophis will rush in to save your sorry ass. They have a trap set for her. I don't know what it is… but if it's Adams who's running things then for sure he'll have something up his sleeve to contain her."

"What could they possibly want with the Queen?" Tiamat questioned. "She no longer holds the Right of Authority. She no longer holds the regalia of office. What worth would she have that differs from any of ours? I and brothers mine are of the same rank as she. Why not come for us three?"

Rolan's expression went absolutely still. That was certainly something she slipped in. Tiamat, Albion, and Ddraig were Lawmakers of the same rank as Great Red and Ophis.

Better, Issei had Synthesized with a _Quantum-class_ Primordial, the highest rank in the goddamn omniverse save for the 3x3 Kings themselves.

"I don't know," Rolan muttered under his breath. He hated not knowing things. He also hated admitting to them. "Hyoudou, I know this is going to be hard for you, but you can't go after Sona."

Right away Issei turned hostile. Figures.

" _Listen,_ " Rolan growled as his eyes glowed. He sent Aura directly through Issei's vision with an eye technique— to invade his psyche and compel the brat to shut the fuck up and listen for a change. "Hades, the god before the Primordial showed up, was in charge of sealing a Fallen Angel named Samael. Samael is the Angel of legend who deceived Adam and Eve to eat the Fruit of Knowledge. The Heavenly Father cursed him, turning him into a serpent and to undergo an endless punishment of torture. His own blood eats away at him.

"That blood is a curse to all things reptilian. Serpents, sea monsters, snakes, lizards, and, oh I don't know, _Dragons_!"

"…So what?" Issei growled with as much impatience as Rolan had.

"This girl," he pointed at Ayame, "was decked in all sorts of dragon-slaying arms _with_ the curse of Samael etched into the magic. Using his blood is one thing, but blood dries quickly. It's another thing to figure out how the Heavenly Father made the curse and _replicate it._ Follow me here very closely. The enemy, the ones who are trying to kill us, have _dragon-slaying_ abilities. Which, I will remind you, is _bad_ for you."

"You're a bigger dick than I imagined," Ayame said to him.

He ignored her.

"They'll be able to use them against Ophis…" Issei said as he came to the right conclusion.

"Yeah," Rolan nodded. "But she won't be in any danger if she won't go out of her way. If she doesn't find out you're in danger, she won't have a reason to try and pull your ass out of the fire. She won't fall for the trap. She will be safe."

"You mean abandon Sona," Issei growled.

"I mean to save her," Rolan snapped back. "I'm telling you to stay out of my way before you make things worse than they already are. I don't know what will happen if they get Ophis. I don't want to find out. The enemy is already too advanced. We can't let them get stronger."

"I can't just leave her! Especially to _you_!"

"Go find Dick and Li Qin," Rolan said with struggling patience. "I'm sure they're somewhere in this craziness. Secure the area. Find out if the Youkai Matriarch is still alive. Go be a hero. You don't have what it takes to challenge Adams."

"And you do? I wasn't the one who ran away. Why don't you kick him out of the World like you did with that one Lawmaker?"

"I faced him before," Rolan's eyes turned stony. "The only one who could 'kick him out' was Ophis and that was when she had her crown. I beat him. I will again if I have to."

He had no intentions of facing Adams McCain a second time. Rather, he didn't want to. It had cost him something unbearable the last time and the scar on his heart still ached. But… if he needed to, he was willing to make the same sacrifice. All so he could keep the World in motion.

"Ise-nii…" Ayame looked at her adoptive brother. She was tall for her age and didn't have to look up all that much. "He's right. I almost killed you. Hades still has Samael. He will use him against you if he has to. I don't want you to get hurt."

"But… Ayame…"

She shook her head and faced Rolan. She scowled at him, a worthy feat of itself considering she couldn't be any older than twelve, and pointed down the hallway.

"He's in the audience chamber. The plan was to have most of the fighting happen in the main hall while he draws the others away. Go that way and you'll eventually come across it."

Rolan stared at her with his eyes glowing. His mind sank into hers, trying to decipher the truth out of her as well as any other details he could.

Pluto leapt in front of him and pointed in the other direction. "Nuh-uh! Sherry-chan! Don't be such a _baka_. My Most Inglorious Lord is in that direction! He set up shop in the throne room right before the Hero Faction!"

Rolan studied her for a moment.

"So it really is that way," he said while pointing at where Pluto was pointing at.

"Eh?!" both Ayame and Pluto shrieked.

"Fucking Originals…" Rolan sighed as he stood. "Trying to trick me with reverse psychology. You're too obvious."

She had pointed in that direction to mislead him, as she had jumped in front of him before his eye technique had taken root. She did it as an act where most would think she was deceiving him. Pluto pointed to the right, where most would think she was betraying Ayame. But then, Ayame had switched sides and had pointed to the direction she wanted Rolan to go towards. That bullshit about how he was right was too plain and simple.

That didn't mean Pluto had been deceptive at the same time. Though she was the Original to All Things Mischief, she was still employed to the Primordial Law of Chronicle. Therefore, where she pointed to _couldn't have_ been the right way.

Yet, from both factors, she would know he would be thinking this. He therefore _shouldn't_ go towards where Ayame had pointed to. Pluto was being honest in an attempt to psyche him out.

Originals. Despite how grand they were in the hierarchy of the omniverse, they were surprisingly simple.

"T-That's not…" Pluto became flustered as she glanced around. "Y-You're wrong! His Most Dubiousness isn't that way! He's this way!"

She crossed her arms and pointed in both directions… plus lifting a leg to point through one of the holes in the hallway.

"Get the girls out of here," Rolan said while gesturing at Ruruko and Tomoe. "Hyoudou, I will be bringing Sona back. Not for you or for her. But because she means the world to Sera. I'm not going to let her cry."

"…Don't go sounded like your some knight in shining armor," he grumbled in response.

Rolan snorted. He commanded both the Leviathan and Behemoth Nightmares to become still now that their duties were complete.

He ran off in a burst of Aura down the hallway towards the throne room. He knew exactly where it was.

0-0-0

They waited until he was gone.

"He's really that way, isn't he?" Issei asked as he pointed to where Ayame mentioned.

"Yup," Pluto said with a smirk. "I couldn't resist. I just wanted to see the ferret's chew toy get squeezed some more."

…The ferret's… what?

"How did you figure?" Tiamat asked.

Issei patted Ayame's head. "I believed my sister. Nothing else about it."

Ayame glowered as he rubbed her head. Even as she wasn't looking at him could he still feel that blunt look of hers bore into his intelligence and damning it. There was a bigger picture, he knew, but he wasn't the sort to see through schemes. He went with his heart instead. And Ayame was questioning his wit because of it.

…Secretly, he missed that blunt look of hers.

"Sister…" Tiamat leered. "Ddraig… That's twice you've honored a mundane as one of our kind."

"She's not one of us," Issei agreed, though he still didn't fully get what it meant to be a Lawmaker. He still felt like his normal humanoid self. "But she is a part of my family. She belongs in my house."

"That's how it is, Nee-chan," Ayame followed through with another blunt glare directed at Tiamat.

Tiamat winced. The honorific had barbed wire hidden underneath. The way Ayame was looking at her… plus the way she sat as though Issei's lap was a throne…

"Tia-nee," Issei called out to her, making her snap out of all the dark things she wanted to do to the little girl. "Please take Nimura-san and Meguri-san to safety. And see if Saji is still where we left him. Then come find me. I'll still need your help rescuing Sona."

Tiamat glared at him… but it was a weak thing as her cheeks flared. She pouted, "T-That's not fair, Ddraig. Calling me that and mentioning another woman at the same time. I'll not forgive you. E-Even if you give me a half hour head pat!"

Message received.

"I'm going with you," Ayame said without any room for argument.

He smiled at her. "I was hoping you would. I'll need your help telling me everything about him and what to expect."

Pluto threw up her hands again, "What the shit?! A couple chapters ago you were all like NO! You didn't want anyone in your harem getting in trouble but you let this brainwashed OC near the Big Bad?!"

"Why do you know about that?! Have you been spying on me?!"

Pluto looked away with shame written on her face. "No... I've just been following Arry in hopes he updates his _Throne of Shirou._ I miss my old job… I've been looking for better employment since it went under and the only one to accept was [Chronicle]…"

"We should go before the turd realizes we tricked him," Ayame said as she stood. She went to retrieve her scythe and ornaments. "I have a plan, Ise-nii. It might get you close to Hades if you are willing to go along with it."

His brows shot up as he stood. "R-Really? Okay. I'm listening."

0-0-0

"Hmph," Hades snorted.

"What is it?" Adams asked without looking at the Primordial. His voice was distant as they walked deeper into the innermost corridors of the palace. He fiddled with a mechanism in his hands but was slow in its tinkering. It wasn't out of carefulness. He was in no rush at all to complete it.

"My Law has lost its hold on the Nakashima girl," Hades answered. "It seems the Dragoon had managed to overcome it."

"Will this be a problem?" Another distant and uncaring tone.

"No," Hades answered readily. "I had anticipated this. He is the closest thing to a _Dravirik Lae'cueri._ If anyone can oppose a Law at my rank it would be one of those lizards. No doubt the girl is spilling all our plans to him as we speak. This works in our favor."

The god of the dead looked over his shoulder. Sona Sitri, tied up by chains created from his Law, was walking willingly behind him. She was surrounded by Grim Reapers, anyhow. She had no chance of escaping.

"The Dragoon will come now more than ever," Hades went on. "He cannot refuse the bait of his lover. And as he has ensnared the Queen with his Mark of Seduction, she will come for him. [Twilight] follows his every whim, after all, and she has been branded by his Seduction."

Adams didn't respond. He continued to piece together his contraption. It was beginning to look like a glove of some sorts. He pulled out another piece from his pocket and attached it to a slot.

"You are right, Hades," Sona said with a defiant smirk. "Ise will come for me. But don't think for an instant you can beat him. He won't just save me. He'll grind you down to dust. He tends to overreact whenever someone he cares about it put in danger. The Vampire was the last to answer to him."

Hades stopped walking. His Reapers stopped as well. Adams kept walking.

"Is that right…?" Hades said as he slowly turned to face her. "Perhaps if I were but a mere god, little bat. I fully acknowledge the worth of this World and its Predator system. And that is precisely why I _won't_ lose to the likes of the Dragoon."

He stepped close. She never looked away, lifting her head without an ounce of fear.

"But I am no mere _god_ ," the voice within the skull cackled with dark laughter. "I am a Lawmaker. This vessel is merely a character liken to one of your theatrical arts. Little _mundane_ bat, I fully understand I would never dare to challenge the likes of Ddraig normally. But… Ddraig doesn't seem to remember who he is. And he's made the mistake of falling in love with you, _mundane little bat._ He is cursed to live the life of a _mundane._ "

Mundane. He had said the word with such loathing it was as though it shouldn't be something existing in the first place. It was worse than a cockroach that drove the general populace the desire to crush it. It was something that took a tremendous effort to ignore, only to be frustrated beyond words when this thing was brought to their attention.

The mundane were a reminder to these Lawmakers, Sona realized. A reminder they despised to acknowledge. It was so liken to the spoiled rich and their discrimination against the poor.

Issei was acknowledged as one of their kind. But, to Hades, he was someone who had given up all his spoils in favor of living a life of poverty. It was more than maddening. It was sickening to someone like Hades.

"You don't have anything personal against Ise," she said aloud. "You just can't stand him. You can't tolerate what he's become and so you're going out of your way to bully him."

Hades stood straight and sneered, "A mere benefit to this ploy of ours. Any of our kind who choose to roll around in the mud must be taught a lesson. It simply happens to be him. A shame, really. [Potential] could have been King if he put his mind to it instead of chasing some Outsider's prophecy."

Sona's heart lurched.

"What prophecy?" the words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Hades hadn't noticed the shift in her tone. She was a _mundane_ after all. She was hardly worth anything in his eyes. But he was in the mood and on a roll. He shared his vast knowledge to her as though he were fulfilling some grand scheme to the cosmos.

"Someone from the Outside made contact with [Potential] prior to the Black Sun catastrophe. We know not who it was or why. There he was in all his glory. The only ones who could challenge him were his siblings and the Queen herself. But at the mere mention of this prophecy and he abandons his throne and a chance for the crown. He chases off in search of…"

The world seemed to darken around Hades. A thick miasma permeated the air.

"Something physical. Mortal. _Mundane._ He went off in pursuit of… breasts to become this… Oppai Dragon."

It was as though Sona had been slapped in the face, punched in the gut, and had her feet swept from under her.

"I know," Hades said after seeing her expression. He came to his own conclusion, however. "Repulsive. Stupid. He gave it all up. And look what's become of him."

Sona… was still trying to come to terms that the voice in her head earlier this morning hadn't just been a figment of her imagination. There really was such a thing as the Oppai Dragon. There really was a prophecy. And it really did focus around Issei.

 _~I told you!~_ shouted the Chichigami inside her head. _~I-I mean… please pretend I'm not here. I wasn't spying… honest…~_

"He cannot remember who he is," continued Hades without missing a beat… or noticing Sona's reaction to the voice in her head. "He has become a slave to the World we dwell upon, lives the life of a _mundane_ , and cannot reclaim the mantle of his office once more. But… he will learn. He will learn he made the wrong choice. The life of a mundane is too… filthy."

He lifted a clawed hand and pointed three specific Reapers. One was a woman in the standard black cloaks.

But the others were the only two restrained by his ethereal chains.

"Go. See to it the Dragoon is thoroughly punished.

"Amelia Rosewood, seek him out first."

0-0-0

Cao Cao looked at his surroundings.

Georg was working with Kuroka and Le Fay in perfecting the magic circle that imprisoned the Kyuubi, Yasaka. Bikou was squatting in a meditative stance as he channeled some of his senjutsu into the equation. Arthur stood straight and regal like he always did while periodically chancing glimpses on his sister's work. Heracles and Jeanne were in another argument (no surprise). Siegfried was checking his weapons for the ninth time since the last half-hour due to boredom. And Leonardo… was being Leonardo— standing in the corner and doing much of nothing.

They chose to put him on watch duty. The Kyuubi's daughter, a little kitsune no older than nine, sobbed quietly in the corner as Leonardo's beasts kept an eye on her.

Then… he eyed the backup Reapers Hades had offered them. He couldn't help but scowl at them. There was some cold irony in their presence. Half because it made him feel like they were there to watch him more than to help. And the other half was a reminder of what he was _not._

They were three Grim Reapers whose identities he had determined. Scathatch the Witch, Jeanne D'Arc, and Sir Galahad. All three of which were the original Heroes of legend.

All three of which had once been Predators when they were alive.

His scowling made him want to itch the still throbbing wound under the eyepatch. It was a constant reminder how far he was from being the greatest of Heroes. He let Sir Rolan steal one of his eyes and, worse, had let them all live in the confrontation. All of them together couldn't challenge him.

What was the point of having the True Longinus if he couldn't kill so much of a faction leader? If he couldn't do that, he had no hopes of actually sparing against one of the Predators. And if he couldn't match a Predator, there was no chance at all he was ready to challenge Great Red.

"We're just about ready," Georg announced after doing a last check.

"Finally," Bikou groaned as he unfolded his legs and stretched. "I've been sitting here for what feels like forever."

"You already do that back home so what's the difference?" Kuroka quipped as she stood.

"Like you have any reason to talk!"

"Focus, everyone," Cao Cao said loud enough to get everyone's attention. "This task is just one small step towards our goal but we must take it with as much importance as anything else. One mistake can do more than leave us empty. We may lose our lives."

Bikou sighed and scratched behind his ear. Kuroka's tails swished around as her face fell into a neutral expression.

"We have to hurry," Le Fay chirped. "The ley lines are burning with energy because of today. I've never seen them this active before. This may be our only chance to call upon Great Red."

"Yes," Cao Cao said with an eager smile. "With the Kyuubi as the catalyst and the ley lines running underground, I believe we will be able to learn a great deal about Great Red. Everyone take positions. We can't afford any interruptions. Georg, Le Fay, please begin the ceremony."

"Cao Cao," Arthur kept his hand rested on the hilt of Caliburn as he gestured towards Kunou. "We should at least release the girl."

"You've said so and I do understand your reasons," Cao Cao returned. "However, we cannot do that just yet. She may jeopardize everything we've set up. We've already promised to keep her out of harm's way if she does not fight."

"…And her mother?" Arthur asked.

Cao Cao blinked, "What about her? She is a Youkai. A Kyuubi, no less. We'd be doing this world a grand service if the ritual kills her."

Arthur scowled at him. But he took a look at his surroundings— at the numbers that would be against him should he protest further— and remained silent.

A low buzz filled the room as the magic circles enveloping the Kyuubi lit up with power. The Kyuubi stirred from her magic-induced slumber. She twitched and let out a few whines as the spell began to pick up.

"Mama!" cried Kunou from her corner. She didn't dare move else the monsters created by the Annihilation Maker would retaliate. "Leave her alone! Please!"

Something crashed through one of the walls at the far side. A figure hit the floor and rolled a number of times until they came to a stop. A beaten, broken, bruised Odin was left unconscious a good forty feet away from the group.

"Ah, Red!" Cao Cao's smile broadened. "You've made it after all."

Red, a nickname given to the man for his complete red appearance, climbed out of the hole he made. His eyes flicked to study the fallen form of the Norse god until he realized the old one wasn't going to get back up. He snorted and then turned his attention up towards Cao Cao.

"We're in the middle of an experiment," the wielder of the True Longinus explained. "See? We are about to open a gate into the Dimensional Gap and call upon Great Red. Perhaps the Apocalyptic Dragon will be the fight you've been looking for!"

Cao Cao cocked his head back and laughed in good humor.

Red didn't return the gesture. His eyes narrowed as he looked around the large shrine. His eyes met with all of the Heroes, rested on Yasaka's twitching form, to Kunou's quivering body, and then at the entirety of the scene.

His eyes shifted back to Cao Cao.

"Ngh," Red snorted. The message was delivered and received.

 _'You're all idiots,'_ he said in his usual silent way.

"Suit yourself," Cao Cao shrugged. "Hades and Sinner are up ahead. Perhaps you could request one of Hades' Reapers for a spar? They're all former Predators. I'm sure someone at your level can last plenty against one of them."

Red shook his head after giving another grunt. He had dismissed Cao Cao's existence with that gesture and crossed the room to leave through the door next to the shrine.

Nearly ten seconds after he departed, the doors to the main entrance were flung open.

The Ouroboros Dragon of Infinity herself walked in with Vali behind her. Her eyes were locked on Cao Cao's immediately.

"Ophis, Vali," Cao Cao greeted. "You just missed Red. He went to find Sinner and Hades."

"And what are you doing here?" Vali asked with some interest as he eyed the background. His eyes briefly remained on Odin's idle form before returning to Cao Cao.

"An experiment," Cao Cao said with a smile. He hadn't lost the excitement despite having to explain this more than fifty times today. "We are going to use the Kyuubi's signature as a catalyst to call upon Great Red. We're going to see how he reacts."

"It, will not work," Ophis said after a single blink. "Baka Red is…"

She eyed the direction Red went through.

"Sleeping," she finished.

Cao Cao frowned at that. "We can at least try to get his attention. We can map out the Dimensional Gap that all else have failed. And we can—"

"It, will not work," Ophis repeated.

Cao Cao's frown deepened.

"See…" Vali took a step forward. He shrugged as he pulled his hands out of his pockets. Fighting spirit poured out of him like a raging furnace. "It's not going to work because this is where I betray you guys. What happens to the Kyuubi and all the Youkai isn't my problem. What's going on with the other Lawmakers brawling isn't my deal either. But you, Cao Cao? I couldn't ask for a better opportunity."

He stepped up until he faced Cao Cao. They were ten feet apart the other.

Vali gave him a smile of his own, "I mean, if I can't beat you then I won't have a chance against my rival."

Cao Cao gripped his spear a little tighter, "Vali, if you wish for a challenge then I will gladly accept. But not now. If you wait until afterwards—"

"No," Vali denied. "It has to be now. The way I see it, the Brigade holds all the cards and is winning this battle against the Predators. You guys are stronger. Therefore, I'd rather team up with the underdogs to take you guys one. I'd rather have the stronger ones as my opponents.

"Besides," he shrugged again. "I feel like the Brigade is going in the wrong direction about all this. Beating Great Red is nice and all, but doing it by destroying the World we live in? I like this place. It's a giant beacon for powerhouses to gather. Why would I want it to be destroyed?"

"Oh? Vali is rebelling?" Kuroka said from her seat on the stairs to the altar.

"Eh? Vali-sama is betraying the Khaos Brigade?" Le Fay turned her head and nearly dropped her focus on her weaving.

"As expected of someone with the name of Lucifer," Jeanne commented.

"You can't mean to challenge _all_ of us…" Cao Cao scoffed. "Fight me and you will bring the entirety of the Hero Faction down on you. Do you think you can take on all of us?"

"He won't need to."

Arthur was the first to move. In a flash he drew Caliburn out of its scabbard and came at Cao Cao. Cao Cao raised his spear in time to deflect the strike.

He should have figured. If there was anyone who was going to side with Vali it was going to be the one who disagreed with Cao Cao the most. Arthur was nothing but an opportunists who had been patiently waiting for such a chance to arise.

…Wait. If Arthur was doing this then that meant…

"Onii-sama!" Le Fay shouted and ran down the stairs, abandoning her post entirely.

Georg grunted as he put more effort of his will to carry the slack Le Fay had just opened.

She also unleashed a barrage of magic bullets in Cao Cao's general direction that honed in on him. They purposely missed Arthur.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jeanne shrieked and ran up the stairs to come after Le Fay. A holy sword was already forming in her hands.

Bikou was there to defend her, leaping to the top of the stairs from where he had been squatting. His polearm was pointed at Jeanne as he grinned like the simian that he was.

"Hey, hey, if Vali is rebelling I'm game. You guys have too many rules anyways."

"You're out of your mind!" Jeanne snapped back.

"Hmm…" Kuroka had a thoughtful expression as she watched the chaos unfold. "If it's Vali… then sure, why not?"

She shrugged as though to say there was nothing she could do to help it.

"You can't do this!" Cao Cao snarled as he found better footing to take a defensive stance. Siegfried was at his side to challenge Arthur. "You're still outnumbered and outclassed. What makes you think you can defeat us here?"

"You're right," Vali smirked. "There are more of you than there are of us. But I do know where I can even the odds."

Cao Cao scowled at him.

…He watched with a shred of horror as a magic missile fired out of Vali's hand. It flew through the air faster than any bullet. It flew over their heads and was aimed at Georg.

The Magician of their group could not raise a shield in time while struggling to hold up the half Le Fay had left to him. The missile struck at his back and sent his body flying forward. His head rocked back from the whiplash as he rolled onto the magic circle.

The liquid silver and gems they had lining the circle became smudged and moved out of place. The entire spell crumbled.

The Kyuubi's eyes shot wide open. She was dazed and confused as to where she was and under what circumstances.

"MAMA!" Kunou cried once more.

And just like that, the Kyuubi didn't need another moment to understand. The sound of distress coming from her daughter triggered the innermost instinct of maternity within her.

The Kyuubi let out a low growl, rose to its feet, and _raged._

When Cao Cao looked to the other corner, where his support was supposed to be, they were nowhere to be seen.

The Reapers had abandoned him after learning his cause was lost.

0-0-0

"Seriously, go away, you're going to blow our cover."

Pluto stuck her tongue out and peeled back one of her eyelids. "Nope! I'm going to do my job and make sure everything in your plan goes wrong. I don't get my paycheck tomorrow otherwise."

"It's fine," Ayame cut off Issei before he could say anything else. "Her being here will only reinforce the plan."

Issei looked at her with uncertainty. "Are you sure? She's not going to rat us out as soon as we stepped in there or anything?"

"No one will believe her," Ayame said bluntly.

"Waaaaaaaaaaah~" Pluto wailed as if it were her dying breath. A nerve had been struck.

"There are Reapers close by," Ayame said as she lifted her hood over her face. "They're within the next room. Hades has to be close if there are so many of them. Are you ready, Ise-nii?"

Issei nodded, "Yeah. Don't worry about me. Just get me close enough and I'll get us out of there with my Gift of Flight."

"Plot hole," Pluto spoke up. "If you can use the GoF to get out of there in a jiffy why can't you use it to get in there?"

"Because I don't know where they're keeping Sona or how many there are," Issei answered her with little patience. "My constant awareness perk is currently off. Plus, if they're all previous Predators then it's likely one of them could hit me even when I'm going at that speed. The criteria is to be able to kill _anything_ no matter the conditions."

"If we know what we're up against," Ayame explained further, "we can devise a better plan of escape. We can create a window of opportunity. Most of the stronger Reapers will be spread out. Hades will have a minimal guard. He doesn't expect Ise-nii to be able to reach him."

"Alright," Issei looked himself over. "How do I look?"

"Lose the armor," Ayame said immediately. "And hold still. I'm going to make it look convincing."

Issei dismissed his Scale Mail set but gulped at the sight of her scythe. He remembered the pain it inflicted on him. But… for Sona. He was doing this for Sona.

…It took more effort than it should have to have him not screaming like a little girl.

A moment later, Ayame held Issei by the collar of his shirt as she pushed the door open to the waiting room before the audience chamber. There were a small group of Grim Reapers stationed on guard before the grand doors. There were the two in the far back restricted by Hades' chains of Primordial Law, a group of three gossiping over 'silly Heroes' in one corner…

And one Grim Reaper just standing at the center, staring straight ahead.

Ayame continued to drag Issei's limp body across the floor. She kept staring straight ahead with purposeful strides.

The plan was to make it look like Issei had fallen by her hands. His body still held a few burns from their earlier fight and she created a few new cuts with her scythe. She was going to claim she captured him and was going to bring him directly to Hades.

When she was a third into the room, she felt something cold wash over her. Dread. Fear. Doubt.

It didn't help as the gossiping Grim Reapers stopped their chatting to look her way. Or how the heads of the two chained ones looked right at her. Or how two other Grim Reapers entered the room from where she came from.

…Or how the one at the center drew a silver sword.

"Hades told us you regained your will," she said with a voice as calm yet poisonous as stilled water.

Issei didn't try to hold on to the ploy. His head snapped up towards the Grim Reaper at the center.

"Wow," Pluto whistled as she looked around the room. "I didn't have to do anything! Easiest paycheck this week!"

Issei rose up to his knees as he climbed to his feet. He stood his ground and took a step in front of Ayame. His eyes were locked on the Reaper in front of them.

"Amy," his voice was a whisper.

The Reaper turned her head slowly towards him. Her face was shadowed by her hood and only her lips could be seen. It thinned slightly when she looked his way.

Slowly, with no hurry at all on her part, she lifted her hand and grabbed the hem of her hood. She drew it back and shook her head, letting her hair flow freely.

Green eyes. Blonde hair. Pale skin with a row of freckles across her nose. She had to be in her early to mid-twenties.

"Hello, Master," Amelia Rosewood greeted curtly with a polite dip of her head.

Issei… was at a loss. He had been told all the Grim Reapers brought by Hades had been converted Predators. But he had been thinking they were his predecessors. Maybe a few old bags and monsters from when the world was full of legends. Old heroes, old monsters, phantasmal beasts, forgotten gods, conceptual entities— those sorts of things.

His mind couldn't wrap around Amelia was one of these Reapers.

Hades had lied to him. He said there was _nothing_ left of Amelia to revive. Of course he had lied. She wouldn't be a part of his undead army if Issei could have her back.

"You're too late," Amelia said as she raised her sword a little higher. "The Ouroboros has already passed through here. Adams McCain has her now."

"A-Amy…" his voice shook with rage and confusion. Betrayal. That's what this felt like. "What are you doing? C-Come on. You're talking about the guy who wrote the Evensong. You fought him before, didn't you? He almost destroyed the World. And you're siding with a guy like that? What… What about Asia…?"

Something flickered in her eyes. It passed.

"You're a fool, Master," she said in her ever soothing voice that could lull him to eternal peace. "You expect to save the World? It was prophesized to end before McCain showed up. There was an Evensong before him. What difference does it make if he changed it? You cannot stop death from happening any more than you can protect your loved ones."

She said this while looking directly at Ayame.

"…That's not you talking," Issei said through gritting teeth. "That's all Hades. Amy, listen to me. He's brainwashed you with something. You don't mean any of that."

"Perhaps…" Amelia nodded a few times. "But they do come from the heart. These _are_ my thoughts. I am only being forced to voice them."

"Then what about Asia?!" he shouted. "Are you okay with letting your daughter die without a fight?!"

There it was again. That shimmer of something glinting in her eyes. And again it faded away as quick as a blink. He hadn't imagined it this time.

"You will understand when your child is born," she replied while brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. "Why would you wish for such a child to live so shortly in such a cruel world? Suppose you do stop the Evensong, Master. The world out there vicious. It is merciless. There is no God of Mercy. The Heavenly Father has been dead for centuries.

"Look at you, Master. You surrendered your life to play savior and they shunned you over one sin. Asia, who had been the Holy Maiden most of her life and had healed countless individuals, wasn't shown any mercy and exiled from her home for one sin.

"Or how about me?" she said with an edge in her tone. Her sword, Creyroux, glinted red suddenly. "I, who had done nothing wrong, was sold by a worthless mother and abused by men when I was but a child. If I had to make a choice, I would choose the Evensong. Let the World fade away and _end._ It is a mercy to put down a mad dog than to let it go wild and bite at others."

"…Asia never looked at it that way," he said after a while.

Amelia had nothing to say to that.

"Yeah, she cried about it," he went on. "She loved the Church and was sad when they threw her out. But she never complained about it. The world _is_ full of bad things. You and I just happen to be the ones who have seen the worst of it. But Asia doesn't belong in our world. She has friends; people who care about her. She's loved and smiles every day.

"Amy, you have people who care about you too. If you won't help me, then fine, whatever. I hate this job too. I don't want to be a Predator. But at least come home. Asia misses you. I don't think she's stopped crying since you died…"

Amelia stared at him for a very long time. It took a full minute before she let out a puff of air through her nose… and smiled.

"Master… you understand _nothing_."

It was all the warning he got as she swung her sword in his direction. A black wave of vileness from her Creyroux was sent straight at him. He only had an instant to shove Ayame away before taking the brunt of the attack.

It felt like a thousand maggots had sank into his flesh and had created a decade worth of rot and decay in just a second.

Amelia wasn't the only one involved in this affair. Most of the Reapers save the furthest two joined the fray.

The ones behind him tore off their cloaks as they transformed. The one at the right grew several different heads and had to haunch despite the ludicrously high ceiling. Nine heads with scales as hard as his and fangs that dripped venom that burned holes where it landed. He recognized it as a Hydra— rather, _the_ Hydra as this thing was the meaner, more vicious, more _hungry_ Hydra than the pup found in the Familiar Forest.

The one on the left burst into flames and grew four pairs of feathered wings. Its neck extended with a beak protruding. Talons as long as the Hydra's fangs sank into the ground with no resistance at all. This was the immortal bird of legend, the Phoenix that could never die and rise from its ashes.

The three behind Amelia drew their weapons. The one in the middle was a woman with red hair and a silver blade that gleamed red in the light… Another Creyroux. But this blade held Nordic Runes that buzzed with power. This was Scatchach the Witch.

The one on her right had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The sound of clinking metal of plated armor could be heard underneath her cloak. In her hands was a silver sword of exact likeness to Amelia's. It was another Creyroux. This was Jeanne D'Arc.

The last one threw off her cloak altogether. It was a tiny figure hardly at five feet. She was donned in draconian leather with draconian plating over that. The bottom half of her face was wrapped in a crimson shroud that hummed with divine protection. And at her hip was— to Issei's ever-broad depth of disbelief— _another_ Creyroux. This was Sir Galahad.

Four Creyroux wielders and two nigh-invincible monsters.

Fuck. _Everyone_ here was nigh-invincible.

"Ayame!" he shouted. "Get out of here!"

That was the only time he had to say anything else.

Galahad was the first to rush at him. Some concussion kicked off of her feet that launched her forward blindly fast even with his senses. He switched to a Defender stance and summoned his armor once again. Her gauntlet, made out of the knuckles of a lesser Dragon, crashed into his guard.

He felt his bones creak by the impact. She was just as fast and as strong as a Dragon!

She kicked off of him, pushing him back and taking a few steps to regain his balance.

The Hydra snapped at him with one of its heads. It felt like he had been slammed by… well, the Hydra. What other ridiculously huge thing was there to compare it to? A meteor?!

It scooped it up into his maw and tried to eat him. Fangs bore into his flesh, digging through his armor and eating away at it as though he were a piece of rice candy. He grunted in pain while keeping his hands on the surface of its mouth. Its tongue lanced through him like a spear and injected more of its poison into his body. Every nerve in his body screamed as they began to go haywire.

And then, the Hydra did something unexpected.

"ARE YOU KIDDING—"

It unleashed a blaze of _fire_ out of its mouth. Where the crap was that in its legend?!

He was flung out of its mouth, swept away by flames that felt like lemon and salt to his wounds.

The Gift of Flight activated; stopping him before he could slam into the ground. He zipped away just as the Phoenix tried pecking at him like he was morning breakfast.

Magic flared in the room. He flew around, avoiding a series of spells he had no idea what they could do if they managed to hit. They appeared as orbs containing the Nordic letters.

He didn't realize it was a giant net until they all became connected through ethereal lines.

An explosion that felt like a super nova went off within the barrier with only him at the center. He let out a roar of pain as he was thrashed in every direction, crushed, and set ablaze with archaic energies powerful enough to create its own star system.

This was beyond ridiculous! He didn't even have the time to breathe!

They surrounded him as soon as Scathacth's spell finished and he dropped like a rock. His body was smoldering and glowing from her mystical attack.

But… he got back up on his feet.

"The Vampire hit harder than all of you," he said as his armor rejuvenated with a flash.

He transformed. Armor and flesh became one. Razor draconian wings sprouted out of his back that complimented his Gift of Flight. His body became less humanoid and more draconic as his hands turned into claws, his mouth became a maw, and an extra pair of arms sprouted from his upper ribs.

He let loose a roar that shook the air and bathed them all in crimson energy. It lashed out at them, thrashing and destroying the territory as his rage became real. The women raised their arms in defense and tucked their bodies low. Their Creyroux blades ate away at their wounds as his presence alone should have killed them. The monsters, however, shirked away as they recognized something higher in the food chain than their selves.

The first thing he did in Juggernaut Drive was tear one of the heads off of the Hydra. He was upon it in a flash, sinking his claws into the midriff of its neck, and pried it off with minimal effort. The beast let out a screech of pain that was felt by all the other heads. Its blood splattered all over him and created smoke. But his armor adapted. It stopped burning after a few seconds longer.

Galahad was there, spinning the air to build momentum and deliver an axis kick to him. It didn't make its mark. Though she had the strength and speed of a Dragon… whatever beast she had inherited her powers from was nowhere near on par to the Welsh Dragon.

He caught her leg by the ankle and flung her back to the ground. A cloud of dust erupted as the ground shook from her impact. Her body was mush at the bottom of the crater he made for her.

Blasts of archaic magic combined with elements and conceptualities struck at him. His plating shattered but reformed just as quickly as they were being blown off. The Witch's spells constantly changed as she drew lines with her finger in the air to create new spells.

All Issei did was inhaled, drew upon energy from his core, and unleashed a breath of crimson energy that swallowed both her spells and her. She drew up a shield comprised of more letters that did admirably against his flames.

But when he heightened his power a few more pegs… it cracked, shattered, and swept her away.

Amelia raised her Creyroux. Black smoke arose out of those he had injured in the few seconds. The sins he inflicted on them and the wounds they sprouted were removed by her command and drank by her blade.

Galahad and Scatchatch got to their feet as though nothing had happened. The Hydra's third head returned.

While he might be able to outclass his predecessors, Amelia had been among the most recent of Predators. She was his equal. She was in a whole different league compared to these outdated beings.

"It's inevitable, Master," she said as she looked up at her with her tranquil gaze. "Adams will win. You cannot stop the Evensong. Let the World die. Let it come to peace."

"…Never," he growled at her.

She tilted her head and shut her eyes. A brief touch of regret swept through her and he could read her emotions as clear as day for this instance. But when she opened her eyes, the emotions were shoved back behind her mask of serenity.

" **Die** ," she commanded. Creyroux turned scarlet as all the sins she inhaled were shot back at him.

He didn't try to avoid it. His Gift of Flight could have him on the other side of the room with but a thought. Hell, his natural speed could have had him moving out of the way. But he remained where he was and let it come towards him.

He brought his arm around. The black blade of Vorpal appeared in his grip and swatted aside the black missile of sin Amelia had fired. The sin evaporated as soon as Vorpal touched it, devouring it until nothing remained.

Amelia went still.

"I'm not giving up on you, Amy," Issei said through rage and fortitude mixed into one. "I will bring you back even if I have to beat the sense into you."

[Promotion: Knight Juggernaut Overdrive!]

His armor thinned, shedding off the unnecessary bits that would weigh him down. Spikes protruded out of his joints as his wings folded into blades of their own. Thrusters formed all along the back of his body.

He moved faster than the human eye could see. Vorpal took full advantage of the properties of the Pawn Piece within him. By using Promotion, a skill that let him take on the abilities of any of the other Evil Pieces, Vorpal could alter his armor to better enhance those properties.

As a Knight, Issei's movement, perception, and reaction time were at their max.

He did not so much as claw his way through the Phoenix as he simply fazed straight through it. Altering his armor was not Vorpal's primary function. Its true purpose was to remove things that should not exist. Irregularities such as magic, miracles, and creatures of mystic origins unnatural to the world.

The Phoenix was one such creature. Vorpal was called the Dream Devourer for a reason. The mere touch of Issei ate away at the Phoenix's existence.

With a gaping hole through the Phoenix's torso, the bird fell apart. Its body collapsed in a heap of ash with dying embers. It didn't even let out a last whine of protest.

It didn't get back up.

Five of the heads of the Hydra were pummeled and severed by the time the first speck of ash of the Phoenix touched the ground. Issei moved too fast for the beast to react. The alpha head was barely blinking in realization it was being attacked by the time Issei came for it.

He tore it apart with claws sharper than its fangs. There was no resistance; less of a knife through butter and more of a knife through _smoke._ The regenerative properties of the Hydra did not activate. Its heads remained severed. The wounds were also more than enough for the creature to topple over despite having two more heads remaining. It was going to die from the shock and eventually the blood loss.

By the time Issei was done with the Hydra, the ashes of the Phoenix were starting to turn into the same wordless words comprised of Law. They were turning into the same material that made up that swordsman's body who faced Rolan. They were soon to return to the aether.

Scatchach had raised her hands and was conjuring more spells. Galahad was moving out of her pit to gain distance.

Jeanne, who had never moved once, drew out her Creyroux and… just held it out for him.

He understood completely what it meant.

He blurred by Scatchach's spells, letting them pop as soon as they touched his body. They did nothing to him and he would never learn what sort of devastation they could do.

His hand brushed against her Creyroux. The blade rusted by his touch and chipped away.

Scatchach let out a gasp as her body immediately turned into Law. She smiled at him just before fading away in motes of light.

He didn't give her a second look as he was upon Galahad. The greatest of the Knights of the Round put up a guard. It didn't matter as all he had to do was touch her Creyroux. Once he did, did she burst into a jumble of glowing letters of the unknown language. She faded just as quickly as all the others.

Once again, Jeanne held her sword out for him, resting it against both her palms for him to accept.

With a single step did he close the distance to stand before her. He swept a hand across the blade and let it rust until it couldn't maintain its form and crumbled apart.

She didn't say anything to him. She only offered a gentle, if not sad, smile and a nod. She disappeared just like all the rest.

Amelia took cautious steps back as she put her Creyroux behind her.

Issei… deactivated his Juggernaut Drive and Vorpal's Promotion. He was left in his regular Scale Mail.

He removed his helmet so she could look at his face.

"…You've aged, Master," she commented.

"It's only been a few days, Amy…" he groaned and rubbed at the back of his head. "But I do feel a little older. I feel like I took on a full decade in just this morning."

"Imagine, that will be your life from henceforth. Endlessly troubled by things you shouldn't be burdened with. You could live a happy life. You can seclude yourself to the pleasures of youth and to the company of your loved ones. Why struggle and bring the trouble to them? You hurt them in your so-called duty."

"It's because I love them," he declared without hesitation. "I'm not going to pretend nothing's wrong. Short and sweet might be nice and all but… Living with a few burdens now and a long and peaceful life afterwards sounds a lot better. I'm going to stop the Evensong. And we're all going to live happily ever after like in the stories."

"Happily… ever after…" she muttered, tasting the words as if she had never used them before. She blinked a number of times and looked away. "You're too naïve, Master. There is no such thing."

"…You're still my Queen," he said, taking a step forward. "You and I made a promise to another. I'm going to hold my end of the bargain. Will you?"

She shook her head but watched him move forward. "I am dead. I am no longer your Queen."

"Then why do you keep calling me 'Master'?"

She opened her mouth to reply… but it died in her throat. She looked unsure of herself for once.

Chains of dark light sprouted around her neck, dangling loosely but making themselves present.

"All of us before couldn't stop McCain," she said suddenly. "At the peak of our power, united, all seven of us together as one, and we couldn't stand against him. The Predators of this generation are divided. And they have sustained heavy losses. McCain is not alone this time. He has the support of individuals who can hold a piece of his power. My sister held a fragment of his Mark. She killed me. Do you think you are able to defeat something like that by yourself?"

"…I know I can't," he said after watching her. "That's why I need you. Amy, you mean more to me than just another Predator. You… You were my friend."

He didn't need to explain how valuable that was to him. She knew. It shone in her eyes. His words had reached her. It touched something deep within her only reserved for those she treasured above anything else.

The chains around her neck began to tighten.

"I am dead, Master," she muttered with the smallest of frowns forming. "You and Asia have already grieved for me. Do you understand how much it will hurt when I return as an apparition? Do not think you can make love to me like this. I am not one of your harem—"

"Enough!" he snapped. " _Amelia Rosewood,_ I will make you listen to reason!"

Her eyes widened as the Gift of Seduction activated, spreading out for the second time today and wrapping themselves around his waist.

"You gave me your name when you were a Living Saint," he began as he moved forward. "You put all your faith in me. You trusted me to watch over Asia and you gave me the one thing that could make you do anything I wanted. I could have you strip naked. We could have made love. But I didn't because I _respected_ you. I didn't because you trusted me and I wasn't going to betray that trust.

"You were someone who understood me more than anyone else. We were both miserable. We were both Predators. We were forced into circumstances none of us could control. You and I were more than just allies. We were friends. I loved you, Amy. You were the only person on this planet who could understand me!"

"S-Stay away…" she took steps away from him. The sound of fear was almost alien when it came from her mouth. Amelia, who bore the Saintly name of Serene, was breaking down. "Don't come near me. Don't touch me. Just stay away!"

"I trust you, Amy," he went on, still pressing forward even as she moved away. He quickened his steps. "I still do. I don't care if you're dead or alive. I've seen what you really looked like under Creyroux's illusion. You're a mess of rotten meat. It's disgusting. But it's who you are. I accept you. You are Amelia Rosewood, not Saint Serene of Finland and not the Divine Beast Predator. You are my _Queen_!"

He was in front of her, gripping her by her arms. She let out a gasp of panic as she realized she couldn't move. Creyroux was still in her hands and it would be too easy for her to have it sink into him. All she needed to do was raise her arm a little bit. He was only holding her by her biceps.

The chains around her neck tightened until they threatened to crush her windpipe.

But… Creyroux fumbled out of her grip. Her eyes were wide as they stared into his.

"I… want to die… Ise," she whimpered. Truly whimpered. Her lips quivered as a tear began to fall. "I'm so tired of living… I'm tired of this world. I don't have your strength. I didn't have the strength to raise Asia… let alone tell her I was her mother…"

She stopped abruptly as the chains tightened even further. Everything else she was going to say afterwards died off. All the sorrow she had washed away as Hades' spell reactivated. Her eyes were as calm as the eye of a storm.

He growled. He wasn't going to lose her like this!

…He didn't get the chance to break her free.

He felt their presence as his skin shuddered. Every survival instinct within him screamed like never before.

The two Reapers who had stayed out of the fight were breathing down his neck. He never knew when they had moved.

He threw Amelia aside just as one of them struck him with some invisible force. He felt the wind get knocked out of him as his chest plate was crushed. Electricity coursed through him, frying his insides and stabbing needles through his nerves. Whatever technique they had used had a secondary ability underneath. It made him feel weakened like on the first day he became a Devil.

He recognized it as a holy affinity.

His back slammed against the ground, he rolled, and shot up back to his toes to recover.

That was all he had before the second Reaper slammed into him and dragged him out of the room. They crashed out of the waiting room and into the audience chamber.

He'd have preferred if he did get hit by a meteor. The thing that struck him felt like he had flown straight into the side of a mountain at full throttle and without his armor.

He was thrown once more as soon as the Reaper stopped moving. He flopped to his back once more before coming to a halt at the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne.

The room was empty. They were the only ones using it.

He threw up his hands, expecting another assault to come his way. Nothing happened.

The two Reapers were in the room with him. He never saw them move. They were simply… there.

 **"We were born together,"** they said in perfect unison in voices of power. It was not through the fuel of the World. It was coming from their own raw power. And it equaled what the World could grant a Predator.

Issei stood and repaired his armor once more. They weren't coming at him. Everything within him screamed these weren't like all the other Grim Reapers in the room. He… He doubted he could have beaten them himself. Something about them made him want to run away.

Who were they? What sort of dead Predator were they?

 **"We shall die together,"** they went on. One was a masculine voice. The other feminine. Neither had actual voices belonging to mortals. They were just… heard. **"Our children shall follow through our trepidation."**

It took a moment. But it finally clicked to Issei. What they were saying were direct lines of the Evensong. He knew who these two were.

He couldn't help but take more steps away from them. He foolishly stumbled when his ankle hit the bottom step.

 **"I was the first,"** said the woman. She moved forward. She did not walk. She did not float or glide. She just… moved. **"The mother of all things."**

Her body shifted underneath that cloak. It was no longer humanoid as it expanded, gaining fur and squatting down on four limbs. It was raw muscle underneath a coat of hair that glistened like moonlight. Yet the Reaper cloak remained tight around her form with the thick chains restraining her from taking a larger form. A snout came out of the hood with a maw filled with too many teeth.

 **"I was second,"** said the man. He spread his arms out not in any humanly gesture but more so to take a stance. Arms spread as though crucified. **"The father of wishes."**

Light flared under his cloak. He was formless. He had no body underneath. What shone was the most beautiful thing Issei had ever seen and he had to force himself to look away else be driven into madness. His form was too perfect. Everything about him sang perfection and paradise. Yet it was the cloak again that tarnished most of that light and the chains that kept him from ascending to a new plane of existence.

 **"I am the Earth!"** cried the womanly beast.

 **"I am God!"** cried the manly host.

They were the eldest of Predators. The Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father.

Issei did not hesitate to go into Juggernaut Drive. The drumming beat of the Boosted Gear's predecessors roared within his mind, granting him their full cooperation and power. He drank from the endless reserves of the cosmos and boosted his potential as high as he could go as quickly as possible.

It was what probably saved his life.

The Earth Mother was upon him faster than he could think. She moved with the speed of the planet's rotation. She was not hindered by physical limitations as sank her teeth into his shoulder and flung him around like a chew toy. His armor couldn't protect him from her fangs.

He unleashed a Dragon Shot directly into her snout. She yelped and released him. He flew until the Gift of Flight activated and stopped him from crashing into the wall.

The Heavenly Father created a pillar of holy fire from the ground where Issei floated over. They consumed him before he could react, melting away his armor and digging into his skin. The pain made his mind go blank. It was pure instinct that drove him to move out of them. He hadn't realized he had done it…

…Until the Earth Mother snatched him out of the air and slammed him back down.

He threw his hands up and caught her maw before she could bite his head off. Her strength was unreal! Even as he was constantly boosting himself in Juggernaut Drive it amounted to nothing! No matter how much of his potential he doubled over and over the gap between them wasn't closing. She was pushing herself against him _and winning._

"Yeah brah… don't see how you're gonna win this one…"

A voice stopped the fighting. This voice made all of Issei's body recoil.

It also made the Earth Mother crane her head towards the origin. She moved off of Issei and let out a low growl that sounded more like a thunderstorm.

One Reaper sat on the throne itself. He had a broad smile that was stretched too wide to be humanly possible with a grin that was filled with too many jagged teeth.

"Looks like you could use… _a hand_ ," said the Reaper as he pulled a hand with blood dripping out of it from his pocket. He cackled; the sound was Issei's worst fears made real.

The sound of footsteps clacked and echoed throughout the broad antechamber. Amelia strolled out of the wreckage the Earth Mother had made when she tackled Issei into this room. She raised her Creyroux and pointed it at Issei. The blade shimmered red for a moment.

Suddenly… all of Issei's wounds were pulled out of him. A trail of sin flew through the air like smoke and made its way to Creyroux's tip.

The chains around Amelia's neck tightened. But a fire unlike any other he had ever seen from her blazed.

Those eyes were locked on the Heavenly Father.

The chains brightened… and then sizzled out like a lightbulb breaking. They lost their strength and crumbled apart.

"Oh fuck the hell yes," she purred in ecstasy. "You've no idea how long I've waited for this day, _God_."

The Reaper on the throne stood up and began to make his way down the stairs. He shimmied around, spinning and flailing his arms around in a dance.

"Saw some things on the other side~" he cackled and danced some more as he pointed at the Earth Mother. "Made me promise not to tell. But you know me! I CAN'T HELP MYSELF!"

The cloak of the Grim Reaper burst out, no longer being able to contain the bulbous mass of the one within. He was tall, nearly seven feet tall, and was as fat as he was tall. He was really nothing more than a giant blob. He wore sunglasses that hid black and red eyes. Bloodstained teeth filled his mouth with a smile that twisted like a Cheshire's.

"It's the fourteenth chapter, bitches!" roared the Vampire as he leapt for the Earth Mother, body fully spread like a child stupid enough for a belly flop at the local pool. "OF COURSE I'M SHOWING UP TO THIS PARTY!"


	15. Potential

**AN: Going to be on hiatus now. I _will_ be finishing one of my original books, dammit all! So until I do, won't be working on fanfiction for a while. So, please enjoy the conclusion of the Kyoto Arc.**

 **The ship has set sail. Boo ya.**

* * *

"Sinner."

Adams turned around as soon as Ophis called out to him. It was the first time he had an interest in something that hadn't been immediate. Hades had long stopped trying to get his attention while he worked and Sona had failed to learn more about their plan.

When Ophis strolled through the hidden room behind the throne, the first thing she did was look at Sona. The Devil was sitting on a few cushions with her hands and ankles bound together by Hades' Law of Chronicle. Standing guard by her was a young man in the black cloak of a Grim Reaper.

He was not one of Hades' Reapers, Ophis noticed. The stench of sunlight and shadow hid his presence to the point of being nigh inconspicuous. Not even Hades noticed he had been duped.

But the smallest of frowns was brought to Ophis at the sight of Sona.

Jealousy was an emotion she couldn't understand but had learned to mimic it through her interaction with the mundane. It was the first time she legitimately felt it.

The last person in the room was the avatar of Great Red, the humanoid projection of the Law of Dream. He snorted at the sight of her and that was all he did to acknowledge her presence. He shifted his arms again and went back to sleep where he sat against the wall.

…She wanted to throw something at him just to annoy him.

"Nothing," Adams returned with his gaze boring down on her. His eyes pierced through her infinite being, found everything about her, and the interest gradually died down. It was as though he had seen something like her countless times despite her uniqueness.

"I, am here," she announced after turning away from Sona. "You need not bring [Potential] into this. I, have come when challenged."

"It was no challenge," he corrected as he fully faced her.

On his hand was a gauntlet comprised of magic and technology abusing the World's Rule of Synthesis. Magic and science, two different sides of the same coin, had been melded together to form one single-sided mass. It was the same as melting a coin down with the properties of heads and tails becoming a complete sphere.

She eyed it for a brief moment. She detected the curse of Samael lining it. Though she may be a Lawmaker and former Dra'cueri Queen, the curse of Samael could still affect her. It was a Defiant Work— something that could break through the Laws themselves— and harm her if she was careless.

But she was as old as infinity itself. She hadn't lasted this long by being _careless._

"We, had a deal," Ophis opened with. "You, were to help me reclaim the Dimensional Gap. I, helped you return home. Why do you betray our bargain?"

Adams watched her the same way someone would watch a speck of dust float in front of their eyes on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

"You've lost your way," he said to that speck of dust. To Ophis, never fully expecting this insignificant thing to return an opinion. "You've gained an opinion. We do not want our tools to gain sentience. They become unmanageable; a hindrance when we wish to go home."

The Mark on his brow came alive, twitching and stretching like a beast waking from a short nap. The scars eyed her as though they were a creature that breathed and hunted.

It attacked the space between them. Faster than could be comprehended, or perhaps not in an actual speed at all but rather in a simple state of _being,_ Adams was in front of her.

The gauntlet was clutching at her face and lifting her off the ground. The magictech hummed with activity as it became to do its part.

Ophis showed no emotion. Not because she had none but because this had all been calculated. She knew about the Outsider's potential. After all, he had brought Rolan to his knees enough to beg _her_ for assistance. Adams had been able to oppose both the authority of a 3x3 King _and_ the Abyss together.

Wings blazed around her. Six pairs filled with the lights found only in the Dimensional Gap. She called upon the Dravirik Lae'cueri Marks of Steps, Seduction, Flight, Craft, Speech, and Mind.

Second, she drew upon her core at the Law of Nothing. Tendrils of nothingness exerted out of her, splitting and dividing her while his gauntlet tried to devour her. She did not attack him— such would bring forth the retaliation of his Mark. She merely moved away from him.

But then… he pulled something out of his hand.

A Sun Sphere; an authority of Trinity King Sun himself.

The Sun Sphere lit up as its power was transferred to the gauntlet.

"Synthesis," Adams called out to incite the command.

…Both her Law and the Dra'cueri Marks became one. The tips of the gauntlet dug into her skin and injected a poison amplified by the Sun Sphere. Like a parasite, it latched on to her innermost workings and clung on to them viciously.

The tendrils of Nothing she had tried to disperse had been hooked. Like caught in a simple snare that caught them at the ankles and hung them upside-down.

Then, they began to retract, being pulled back by the gauntlet's command.

She realized… she was being devoured. Both her Law and the Marks that made her the eldest and most powerful of her kind.

Adams was stealing her authorities.

An instinct within her reacted. A small hand latched onto the gauntlet and tried to pull herself free. Tendrils of power lashed out as the innate instinct of survival kicked in.

Adams' Mark twitched.

Her hands began to bleed and peel away as her own power was turned against her.

…She wondered if this was what fear felt like.

She was ageless, having lived at The End of All Things, saw the Furthest Future, and progressed backwards through time until she reached The Beginning of All Things. She saw the death and then the birth of the Originals. And then, she progressed forward in normal time just so, through her perspective, she could watch everything she witness backwards.

She was _twice_ as old as the eldest of beings in this Realm. She was older than the Originals, who had been around since the very beginning of existence itself.

She had seen countless of her kind die out through their carelessness. There would have been others who should have been older than her if they were not slain. Watching them die had taught her the potential of threats. Simply because they had managed to outdo the Abyss didn't mean they were invincible to other things.

And now here she was. Slowly but surely fading away.

The first thing to blink out was her Mark of Mind. It had been a core piece in her survivability. It was what outsmarted her betters when she was younger and predicted the threats all around her as she was now.

Without it, it felt as though she had just awoken from a deep slumber and couldn't remember the dream she had for the life of her. It felt like she had lost something precious, something innocent; a piece that would have completed her if she could remember what it was.

The memories came after. Adams was doing more than reaping her authorities. He was draining her of everything she had ever done throughout her existence.

Her body, that being her physical form, was trying to fill in the gap of this void.

It was aging her. Though she was still in the ageless appearance of a little girl, she could feel her body stretch and pull and expand as a human would throughout the years. Eons of repressed age was becoming undone. She was growing out of her childish body.

Now the fear was very much real and she fully recognized it.

A haunting sensation swept her. A feeling that could not be ignored even as a living embodiment to the concept of [Nothing].

She was going to _end._

The second to go out, like a light bulb shattering from too much strain, had been her Mark of Flight.

And more of herself was drank into the gauntlet.

0-0-0

[Promotion: Knight Juggernaut Overdrive!]

Issei roared in both outrage, pain, and defiance when the Earth Mother came at him. She was impossibly fast, even with his augmented speed through the Knight Promotion. It felt however fast he was she could match it effortlessly.

They wrestled in the ground, clawing and snapping jaws at another and tearing the other apart. Blood splattered and mixed as flesh was rendered. And as fast as they carved into each other did their wounds heal.

The Vampire was there, digging a blade of blood gathered from both the Earth Mother and Issei into her side. The force of his drive knocked her off of the Dragon and continued to push her aside. His body was a complete distortion liken to a living static of white noise. The power of his Aura was intense and amplifying his body to unholy levels, enough so to match the godly feats of a Dragon and the Planet Incarnate.

"Now I think it's alright we're together!" cackled and sang the Vampire, half-screaming it and half-moaning with excitement and pleasure. "Now I think that's a riot! Now I think IT'S THE BEST WE'VE EVER PLAYED IT!"

The only thing being visible through the Vampire's distorted mass was the glow of his eyes. His red and black eyes glowed with an intensity that turned blood gray and the shadows of the room to shirk away. He opened his mouth— the smile of a thousand teeth glistened with proverbial madness.

The Earth Mother's body twisted and bent, the sound of snapping and popping being heard as bones cracked and reformed instantly. She was no longer a great wolf in the next instant. She was a serpent that coiled around the Vampire's mass to squeeze the life out of him and clamp its venomous fangs into his flesh.

Issei moved, reacting immediately. Let the Vampire deal with the Earth Mother for now.

His wounds were removed from him as Amelia swung her Creyroux. The once-silver blade was resonating crimson hate. Issei could physically feel the amount of animosity radiating off of Amelia like a second sun.

Issei jumped in front of her just as a bolt of divine lightning fired out of the Heavenly Father's hands. To call it a bolt of lightning did it no justice. It was divine wrath fully expelled. The impact rattled Issei's world even as Vorpal's properties devoured the unnatural lightning.

He couldn't imagine what would have happened if Amelia took that kind of hit.

" **Rot away with PAIN!** " she bellowed and brought Creyroux down.

Blackness washed over Issei but never touched him. The sin she had gathered into her blade was amplified by her sin for wrath. The black mist came alive, twisting and expanding into the form of a beast with a maw extending to swallow the divine entity whole.

The Heavenly Father lifted one hand and _willed_ the sin away. Amelia's attack simply vanished before it could hit.

But Issei swept forward, bursting through the black mist as soon as it vanished. He lowered his head and brought out his left shoulder. He heard the cracking of bones and metal from himself as he slammed into God's chest.

All it did was make Him take a few steps back.

And then another blast of invisible force struck Issei. Vorpal suppressed it once more but it's properties weren't quick enough to dispel all of it. He was shoved back enough to have his feet drag into the tiled floors.

Swords of light formed around the Heavenly Father. Seven in total that were as bright as stars. The light emitting from them alone felt agonizing to his skin as a Devil. Even as a Dragon he felt something dreadful pulse from those weapons.

"Now I think that's a riot!" sang the Vampire some more.

His blackened form came out of the shadows of the cracks of the floor. He rose out of the ground with his smile overshadowing the light from God's swords. In likeness, seven swords of blood formed from wounds inflicted by the Earth Mother. They floated lazily in the air before pointing each tip sharply at the Heavenly Father.

"Now I think it's alright to feel inhuman," the Vampire cackled in a tune that matched the beating of everyone's heart. "Now I think that's a riot. Now I think it's alright WE'LL SING TOGETHER!"

The seven swords were brought down in unison against God's seven swords of celestial light. The sound of sizzling was as loud as thunder and the confrontation boomed louder than any other force nature could produce. Two conceptions of opposite virtue were clashing. The Vampire moved, slithering around like a shadow dancing around the light, while the Heavenly Father willed his weapons in a dance as graceful and perfect as the changing of the seasons.

The Earth Mother burst out of the ground, sending ripples of tiles around as though breaking out of a watery surface. She was no longer a serpent. She had taken the form more liken to a shark with a maw as wide as Issei's body.

Issei found himself flanking the Earth Mother and, against his better judgment, _saving_ the Vampire from being consumed. He dug his claws into the Earth Mother. She let out a yelp of surprise and agitation. But all she did was fling herself away from him, sliding her body against his and swatting him with the end of her tail.

Issei spun from the impact but collected himself. Pain flared through him. The scales of the Earth Mother had shredded him like running himself against a dragon-slaying _cheese grater._ It reached as deep as his body underneath his armor.

Amelia had stolen his wounds once again. Stolen being the correct term. He could have healed on his own and would have gained a level amount of resistance due to his draconic nature. But she had taken the sins of his wounds in order to fuel her Creyroux.

The Earth Mother sprang out of the ground once more, this time surfacing as a scorpion crawling out of a pit of sand. A pincer snatched Amelia and split her in half from the waist before his Queen could blink. Her body was flying through the air and then, and only then, did Amelia blink in acknowledgement. The Earth Mother was moving as fast as Issei— Amelia was just as human as the next person.

Issei roared in a voiceless challenge of outrage as he came at the Earth Mother once more. She had anticipated this and whipped her tail at him. The stinger pierced through him and injected poison that instantly numbed his shoulder. His heart lurched with pain as the poison swam against his blood to go directly into the chamber. But he pressed forward.

He grabbed the tail and yanked with his strength. The Earth Mother was lifted off of the ground. He swung her around back into the ground.

…But she sank through it as easily as water.

He roared once more and fired a Dragon Shot after her. A splash of crimson energy went up to the ceiling and sent waves of destruction that shattered the ground in a spider web formation. The wailing of the Earth Mother sang from underground.

God intervened, bringing forth a gale from the dust and shrapnel Issei had created. The full might of a storm that had wiped out entire civilizations was compressed into this relatively small area.

Vorpal did well to protect him from the slashing and pushing of the winds. But it couldn't do anything about the shrapnel pelting against his exposed skin after the Earth Mother's strike. His shoulder was burning as the poison of the Earth Mother refused him to heal and activated every nerve in his arm.

He was blind from the storm of dust and distracted by the pain. He didn't see when God had thrown a spear into his exposed wound.

The entire arm was blown away as an explosion of light went off as soon as it touched his skin. Vorpal couldn't protect him as it existed only in his Boosted Gear. The spear of divine light ate away at his Devil nature, severed the arm, and blew out a large chunk of his shoulder and chest from under the armor.

Then, the Earth Mother returned.

She broke out of the ground, back in her wolfish form, and clamped her jaws down on him while he was wreathing in pain. Her teeth sank into him with no resistance and _yanked._

The new sensation of pain that knocked the wind out of him (possibly from a torn lung) brought him back to his senses.

Rage consumed him. The wrathful vengeance of a Dragon sang through his heart. The lust of shed blood rose after it.

He met the Earth Mother's challenge, gripping onto the side of her maw, and summoned all of his strength. He felt his power rising, reaching into the cosmos and amplifying his potential exponentially. The channeling of his predecessors was with him.

He saw darkness in the corner of his eye. Like a blanket being pulled off of him in a flash. His arm was back. Only the pain of the Earth Mother's fangs was there. The poison weakening his heart and the toxicity of the Heavenly Father's light was gone.

But his rage was still there. He remembered what it felt like. He hated it.

With his rejuvenated hand, he clamped on the top of her maw. With both hands, one above and one below, he let loose a roar that shook the air and stilled the Heavenly Father's storm.

He ripped the Earth Mother's mouth open until it split upon down her throat.

The Planet Incarnate let out a parallel scream of agony that rivaled his wrath.

" **He's mine,** _ **bitch**_ **!** "

More blackness came. He felt cold as all the wrath within him had become extinguished, burned out by the overwhelming presence of a hatred greater than his. A wave of evil swept over him to reach for the Earth Mother. It crashed down upon her without touching Issei.

The Earth Mother was swept away. Her fur was yanked out of her body and her flesh erupted with puss and burns and rashes and rot and maggots.

"Master, now!" Amelia shouted. She was panting with heavy beads of sweat pouring down her brow. Her face was pale with exhaustion and her eyes were wide with the rush of her emotions.

He stopped hesitating. His Gift of Flight brought him forward as he brought his fist onto the side of the Earth Mother's head… plus a charged Dragon Shot before ignition.

The crimson concussion blew open her skull in a mass of gore. Yet she was not down. The Earth Mother yelped in pain but did not go down. She rolled around from the impact and then bounced back to her feet. She stood just as tall as ever even as her body was falling apart from Amelia's curses and Issei's blast. She bared her teeth, ready for another round of snapping and biting.

"Switch!" roared the Vampire.

He came out of almost nowhere, fighting the Heavenly Father with blood against light and then flickering across the room. He tackled the Earth Mother, bringing his arms around her neck and wrestling her to the ground. He sank his teeth into her and tore a chunk of meat when he lifted his head.

A black missile fired past Issei, barely missing him by a hair, and traveled towards the Heavenly Father. Amelia had thrown her Creyroux; the sin within the blade propelled it forward faster than she could physically throw the object.

…Because she had used the blade to cut open her throat. Ichor poured out of her neck until she collapsed to the ground. She had used the sin of her own death to fuel her sword.

The Heavenly Father threw up a hand. An invisible barrier met with the black missile incasing Creyroux.

Amelia was there to push the blade deeper into the barrier and break through. The sin of her death had been reversed, devoured by Creyroux. The Blood Stained White Rose had revitalized her. As the blade was a part of her, it had brought her back at that spot rather than where she had originally thrown it.

Issei had no idea she could use the weapon like that. But then again, she had been doing this whole Predator thing much longer than he.

" **Die, you worthless sack of shit!** " she spat with every ounce of hate.

Black exploded out of Creyroux like a shotgun going off. It tore through the Reaper cloak of the Heavenly Father and pelted into His chest. His body bucked and took a few clumsy steps back. Little holes of light no bigger than dust particles dotted His cloak.

It had only been an instant. A few seconds at most. The Heavenly Father recovered as though He hadn't taken a direct hit to the chest and had only been pushed back slightly.

Divine flames burning with every color of the rainbow flared out of seemingly nowhere. They consumed Amelia faster than a blink. She was completely disintegrated.

Creyroux clattered to the ground; the blade continued to vibrate and shine red. It knew its wielder was still around. There would only be a certain amount of time before she came back.

Issei dove in, slamming a fist into the face of God. The energy he had gathered with his Boost ability exploded outwards in this one punch.

There was something satisfying in using a Sacred Gear against God Himself.

God's head bucked to the side as the metal of Issei's gauntlet cracked open. He felt the bones of his knuckles break under the impact. He should have used Promotion into his Rook form in order to hit harder and take more of the rebound. But he also thought he wouldn't have been fast enough and God would have come up with some sort of counter.

It didn't matter.

The Earth Mother was there, leaping onto his back, knocking the wind out of him, and sinking what felt like a thousand small maws all over his body. They rolled around on the floor and Issei's movement was restricted.

He found the Earth Mother had become some sort of cephalopod. He noted this in a loose sense. Whatever she had become held several tentacles with suckers that gripped into his armor and, oh, secreted acid. She did have a beak like a bird— or a squid in this case.

It poked a hole through his visor and dug into his eye. He screamed as the organ was popped.

He struggled as her tentacles clung tightly around him, twisting his limbs against him and pulling him into a hold. He felt the world start to spin as she clutched around his neck. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't aim any of his joints to claw at her or fire a Dragon Shot. He couldn't breathe fire. Her strength equaled his and she had the advantage of leverage.

He fell to one knee as his vision was turning black.

He saw the Vampire put himself back together in the corner where the Earth Mother had ripped him apart and spread his limbs everywhere. The Heavenly Father knocked one of his legs away and went to attack him, keeping him away from coming for Issei.

And Amelia hadn't recovered yet. He didn't know how long it would normally take.

It meant he was on his own.

Thrusters burst out of his joints and back. He flung his body around, slamming and flailing wherever he could. He collided against the walls, the ceiling, the stairs, and the floor. Every inch of him was covered by the Earth Mother's grip and he fought desperately to get her off of him. He was losing his colossal strength all because of lousy asphyxiation.

What was the point of being a Dragon, capable of decimating continents in a rampage, if he could be subdued in a basic chokehold?!

It felt like he had ricocheted off of every surface. It felt like he was in a giant pinball machine. The amount of speed he put into each direction made his head ache whenever he crashed into something. But nothing within the room was dense enough to leave enough damage against the Earth Mother.

Then… an idea struck him.

He croaked, trying to call out to the Vampire. But with the Earth Mother clamping on his neck he couldn't get air in or out.

The Vampire let loose a roar that was more liken to a rooster's caw. He charged at the Heavenly Father— his skin being tugged off like a layer of clothes until nothing but bloodied muscle made up his being. The shadows danced around him, replacing the skin until he was this obsidian figure. The blood lit up, forming sigils on the blackened surface.

The Heavenly Father drew up light. Shadows dispersed around him until there was no darkness. There was no shape or distinction between anything. He had become a beacon of light such as how the sun declares day.

The Vampire's body became frayed as God's light tried to repel him. In the world of white only a faint phantom of black could be seen. The Vampire pressed forward, keeping up his sprint amplified by his Aura. He left a trail of black mist behind him as the light began to rub him raw. The closer he got, the less of his mass there was.

"Now… I think that's a riot," he said in a calm voice that distilled everything in the room.

Tendrils of blood shot out of his back and sank hooks into the light as though it were a domed canvas. It infected the light, turning it red and black with his affinities. In the blink of an eye did he convert the Heavenly Father's brilliance into something perverted.

Those tendrils lashed around the Heavenly Father next, clutching around His body the same way the Earth Mother was gripping around Issei.

Issei didn't bother to wait any further. He dove straight forward, pulling the last of his power before it faded out into his thrusters. They propelled him forward. He didn't need to aim.

He spun at the last second, having the Earth Mother be at the front of the impact as soon as he slammed into the Heavenly Father.

Despite having her cushion him to a degree, his armor shattered and his bones cracked. He went numb for an instant before the flare of pain coursed through him worse than any of the Earth Mother's poison or the Heavenly Father's divine attributes.

But the plan had worked. The Earth Mother let out another bellow of shock as her grip loosened enough for Issei to breathe. The four of them fumbled around on the floor, limbs tangling over another, heads butting against another, and no sense of direction being found.

The fat lard that was the Vampire rolled. _Literally_ rolled as he tucked his arms and legs into his body and moved around the room. Like a rubber ball, he bounced off of the wall and flew forward.

Spikes of blood and blades of darkness sprouted out of his body.

Issei flicked to any direction, not sure which way he really went, just to get out of the Vampire's way.

The Vampire plowed through both the Earth Mother and Heavenly Father, tearing them apart while knocking them aside like a wrecking ball.

The world darkened as a miasma tingled Issei's skin. The Evil Pieces within him twitched in reaction to this presence. It was a taint of Devilry too potent even for its own kind.

Amelia was back.

Her eyes were flaring with vengeance as she lifted Creyroux over her head.

She didn't say anything. She only let out a wordless shriek of hate, sorrow, grief, regret, lust, and damnation all into one. Tears streamed down her face as she put her everything into this last strike.

The world became pitch black as she brought Creyroux down.

Though it was never directed at him, Issei felt like he had just been damned to the deepest pits of Hell to be punished for all eternity. The darkness around him did not touch him, but the presence alone made his soul ache. He wanted to beg for forgiveness to anything that would grant him a shred of light to get out of here.

He couldn't imagine how the ancient Predators could be managing.

"M-Master…" he heard Amelia's voice whisper. It was soft but not entirely desperate.

He was there to catch her, still unable to see but just knew where she was in this darkness. He could feel her body fall into his arms as he held her upright. She rested her head against his chest with one hand reaching around his neck.

"I… am so turned on right now…" she whispered into his ear in her ever beautiful and tantalizingly calm voice.

…Issei had the most awkward boner of his life to date.

The darkness of the room was split in two, cut cleaning down the middle from floor to ceiling in a perfect line. The sins unleashed from Amelia's attack had been purified with one lone gesture.

The Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father stood. Their cloaks were tattered and torn but the chains binding them in place remained lit. Not even Amelia's sins could affect them.

"Well… shit," said the Vampire as he wobbled his way to Issei and Amelia. He pulled out a flask from his pocket and took a swig. He wiped a radioactive green liquid spilling down his chin with the back of his hand. "And me without my mask. Fuck it. If I can squeeze through that ginger I can fit through this tight spot."

"…Don't you mean 'get out of'?" Issei found himself questioning.

The Vampire flicked the empty flask at his head. "What are you? A virgin? I expected more out of you."

"Gentlemen," Amelia stood on wobbly feet and lifted her Creyroux. "You can go back to fucking each other after this."

"You mean 'fucking _with_ each'—"

"No," she cut off the Vampire.

They got ready. Amelia cut her wrist and let that sin feed on her sword. The Vampire bit into his lips and drew bloodied fangs. And Issei drew upon heightened power in his Juggernaut Drive.

The Heavenly Father and the Earth Mother never came at them. They only stood frozen.

[INSTALLATION COMPLETE,] chimed the robotic voice of Vorpal within his armor.

The Heavenly Father turned His head left and right slowly to take in his surroundings. The Earth Mother's form changed, reverting out of her animal form and into a humanoid one beneath her cloak.

 **"This is so not cool…"** said the voice of the Heavenly Father. He waved a hand at the Earth Mother, **"Hey, Tyra, you feeling all right?"**

The Earth Mother turned her head to have God in her peripheral vision while the three modern Predators always in her sight. **"Thoust shant address me in such a tone nor in such a name. Tis an insult upon thy—"**

 **"You seem to be doing fine,"** God turned away from her and then looked at his clothes. He spread His arms and twisted His body to get a good look. **"Ick. I feel like a damn cosplayer in this getup. Leave it up to the Greeks to not get with the times. And they ask me why I nuked Pompeii…"**

He snapped a finger. Instantly, both the wardrobes of the Heavenly Father and the Earth Mother changed. The chains binding them to the will of Hades shattered into motes of light.

The Earth Mother was a woman of ageless beauty that no description could do her justice. She was a woman in the prime of her youth with hair and eyes as silver as moonlight and tanned skin belonging to someone who bathed in the sun religiously. She was tall, taller than Issei, with long limbs packed with muscle. She stood with her head raised with eyes constantly on alert. She was more animal than the humanoid thing she pretended to be.

The Reaper cloak had transformed into a Victorian-style dress with frills and puffs and laces. Her skirt (the kind that needed a metal frame underneath to make it so puffy) nearly touched the floor. She wore heels, long gloves that consumed the entirety of her arms up to her shoulders, and a ribbon that hid her neck. The only skin exposed that didn't include her head was the low cut of her collar that dipped into her cleavage.

Her dress was the prototype of a push-up bra. Issei had an eyeful staring at those twin beauties.

The Heavenly Father was in complete contrast to her.

God had turned His cloak into a tight t-shirt and cut jean shorts. He wore slip-on shoes without socks, liken to someone who was too lazy to go through the trouble of putting them on. He didn't go through the length of doing much else to His appearance. He was gorgeous to look at, without a doubt, but He also looked like someone who had just crawled out of bed and didn't want to bother combing their hair.

Also… God was a woman.

 _Her_ tight t-shirt hugged against Her body with ample breasts pushing up against the shirt, giving Issei a good estimate on the size and shape of them plus a good look at Her lean waist. She also wasn't wearing a bra… and She was apparently cold… or excited.

She also had a _great_ ass. It was so round and bubbly and…

 **"Keep calling me a woman and I'm going to blast you out of existence,"** God said through narrowed eyes. **"I'll tolerate a Devil giving me perverted glances but it's gross when you think I'm a woman."**

Issei's mind was blown so hard he was sure he was suffering from brain damage. He could only stare forward at what he was seeing.

He had to have taken a few too many hits in the fight. Or the Earth Mother's poison had killed him. Maybe the Heavenly Father's divine light did the job? This was all just a dream. He was really bleeding to death on the floor somewhere around here.

He found himself looking for his body.

 **"Yes,"** God rolled Her eyes— and then suddenly glared at him for the mental narration. **"This is really happening. Why is everyone so surprised whenever I make an appearance? See, this is why I don't descent into the mortal planes anymore. The last time I did they tied me to a tree and stabbed me in the ribs! You humans are so touchy about these things."**

By 'these things', She— He— _whatever,_ grabbed her breasts and gave them a few squeezes.

 **"Such vulgarity…"** sighed the Earth Mother. **"Jehovah, restrain thyself, please."**

 **"Just because you said** _ **please**_ **doesn't mean I'm going to,"** God mumbled and did as… He was suggested, but not without blushing and sulking. **"And don't call me that. As soon as Abraham started it did it spread like fire. Soon all the kids called me that."**

 **"Then do not address me as Tyra,"** she returned sharply.

 **"Pfft,"** God blew a short raspberry. **"Fine, fine. I suppose that is a little special. I'll only call you that in** _ **private**_ **."**

The Earth Mother's eyes narrowed to dangerous levels. But… a small tint of red rose out of her cheeks.

"…I'm so confused," Issei said aloud.

"Brah," the Vampire spoke as though he was addressing a child. "God is a woman—"

 **"You shut your mouth, Traveler! Abomination! Heathen!"** God shouted with a voice that shook the air. **"You're not even supposed to be here. You belong in the World that was before this one."**

"Tits!" Issei shouted back and pointed at the Lord of Creation. "You have _boobs_! Really nice ones that I want to squeeze! Dudes don't have those! And come on, your Predator title is the Heavenly _Father_!"

 **"…So?"** God questioned with a blunt look.

"So in _what way_ is this really happening?"

In response, God put a hand on Her chest and announced clearly and simply, **"Because I fully recognize myself as a man. The World knows better than to deject my words."**

...Issei found he couldn't argue against that. This was _God._ As it is written, so shall it be, and all that biblical nonsense.

 **"Well, Dragon, Devil, human-thing,"** God tilted Her head and eyed Issei a bit more. She wasn't sure what to call him and each form of identification made Her eyes narrow further. **"You're certainly something. You were born human, became the Welsh, and then suckered into becoming a Devil. I ought to smite you where you stand simply for what you are. But… You gave us back our authorities. We owe you."**

Issei blinked at that. "…I, uh, did what now?"

God gave him a bland look and raised her hands. There was a box in her hold that hadn't been there before. It still had a few scraps of the Red Blur birthday wrapping taped around it.

It was the gift Predator Lolifor had given him! He didn't even know what was in it!

God took a few steps forward as She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper. The Earth Mother followed behind her with eyes locked on Amelia specifically.

It took almost a full minute for Her to reach Issei with the amount of space between them. She handed him the paper personally.

While keeping a cautious look on them both, Issei took the slip, unfolded it, and examined it. It was a note.

 _To whom it may concern,_

 _I have enclosed within a USB drive containing data in regards to First Predator Lucrexia-Beatrix Valentius Adromedius vi Graeger Tyranicus and Second Predator God of the Bible. Please keep them secure until I am able to retrieve them. I've granted you compensation for this favor._

 _Simply flip over the note._

 _Regards,_

 _Archibald Lolifor_

…It was an extremely short note that didn't answer _anything._ There was no USB within the box as far as Issei knew. But, apparently, Vorpal had downloaded the information anyways. And then just recently had uploaded it back onto the Earth Mother and Heavenly Father while they were fighting.

He flipped over the note to see what the 'compensation' was.

It was a snapshot of Serafall Leviathan, posing on the ocean shore of a sunny beach, in a bikini. Her skin glistened with seawater as she blew a kiss at the camera.

Issei folded the paper back together and stuffed it into the slit behind his chest plate.

 **"T-Rex,"** God waved at the Earth Mother once again. **"Come here for a sec. I need to use your back—"**

That was when Amelia brought Creyroux around to lodge off the head of the Heavenly Father.

The attack never made it. God had caught the edge of her blade between Her fingers without needing to look. She did afterwards, if only to give a casual glance at Amelia.

 **"Fight's over…"** she muttered before blinking at Creyroux. She yanked the blade out of Amelia's grip and examined it. **"This… isn't my sword. It's a pretty good replica of it though. Ah, I see now. Hades did this. Very excellent work. It does the same stuff as mine at the same degree. But it's frozen in time, locked in a loop."**

She flipped the sword around to have the hilt extended for Amelia to take.

 **"Thou'st insult me further with thine names,"** the Earth Mother resumed as if she didn't witness Amelia try to off the Heavenly Father. But she turned and gathered her hair to expose her back.

God stepped up to her and pulled out a scroll out of the air. She unfolded it, produced a pen, and used the Earth Mother's back to sign something. Then, She stepped around to hand the scroll and pen to the Planet Incarnate.

The Earth Mother glowered but accepted the scroll. She didn't take the pen. She bit her lip and pressed one of her gloved fingers to the blood that dripped out. Then, she pressed it to the scroll, rolled it back up, and handed it back to the Heavenly Father.

God then stepped up to Issei and handed it to him.

Issei took it. The magic within was familiar. It felt like Devilry. It took him another moment to recognize it for what it was.

He pulled the scroll open with nearly enough force to tear it in half if it wasn't magically reinforced. Two of the slots in the registry by his name were filled.

 _[King] Hyoudou Issei_

 _[Knight] Serafall Leviathan_

 _[Rook] Lucrexia-Beatrix Valentius Adromedius vi Graeger Tyranicus_

 _[Bishop] YHWH_

Issei was sweating bullets behind his armor. His hands were shaking. He was losing control over himself and was stretching the paper to the breaking point. Magic or not, it was going to tear in two.

God and Gaia themselves were going to be on his side for the Rating Game against Rolan.

When Issei looked back up, he found God texting on a cellphone. She put up a finger to have him wait until she was done. She turned it off and pocketed it right after.

Something buzzed within Amelia's cloak. Her brows scrunched in confusion before reaching inside and pulling out a cellphone. She eyed it as though she had never seen it before, flipped it open, and read the message aloud.

"…I'm back… bitches," she recited with a bit of dryness in her tone.

 **"Haven't updated my status in over 500 years,"** God stretched, pulling Her arms over Her head and arching Her back until popping was heard. It gave Issei an amazing view of her perky breasts against thin cotton fabric. **"That's right. I've been tweeting since before it was cool!"**

"Don't go off being some hipster now," the Vampire grumbled. "I already don't have that much respect for you. Not sure if it's possible to go any lower."

"And stop planting unwanted things on me," Amelia said with a bit of venom in her voice.

God's eyes flicked over to her, then to Creyroux, and back at her. She folded her arms across her chest, **"If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead. You'd be stuck in that whorehouse until they found out you were pregnant. If you didn't have my sword you wouldn't have survived and Asia wouldn't have been born. If you want to blame anyone, blame the Church. They're the ones who abused my Saint system when all I wanted was to keep my children protected from things like him."**

She pointed at Issei. Rather, she pointed at the Devil in the room.

"…That almost sounds like a certain Acolyte," Amelia grumbled.

 **"Ew,"** God's lips curled. **"Don't compare me to a pagan. Wait. He's a pagan among the pagans. How does that…? He's gross anyways. And a cockroach that refused to die. Committed suicide ten years ago and he's practically a zombie. But, look, he is right about the Church; I'll give him that much. Doesn't mean I side with him or won't go out of my way to step on him."**

A cockroach. That was a good way of describing the short brown piece of shit that has been in a pain in Issei's ass for years.

"Um…" something came to Issei's mind. "You've been dead for… a while. And I don't think you had your mind as a Reaper. You both were the only ones bound by Hades' chains that much."

The two nodded.

"So how do you know all this?"

 **"Because I'm God,"** She answered as if it was the most obvious fact.

And it _was_ the most obvious fact. Once again, Issei found he couldn't argue against such plain logic.

 **"If that is all…"** the Earth Mother stepped forward. She gave a slight bow of respect without averting her eyes once. **"We must be off. There is much we must do before the Outsider's Evensong is fully evoked. My thanks go to thee, Welsh Dragon. I shall repay them in this contest against the pretender of Flame and Frost."**

"We can stop this right now!" Issei blurted out. "The guy who wrote it is here! He's right around the corner! Help me beat him!"

God shook her head, **"It is not that easy. He comes from the Outside, beyond my domain and those… above me. If the Primordial and Original Lawmakers are the chief of staff to a government, this Adams McCain comes from a different country. Our Laws do not affect him the same way as you and I. Even if we could vanquish him… [666] is still in our World. He is only making it awaken sooner than anticipated. I must go to see what I can do with the seals. Perhaps I could buy us more time…**

 **"Do not think we will abandon you. We are involved in this just as you are. After all… I am Second Predator, the Heavenly Father."**

 **"And I,"** said the other, **"am First, the Earth Mother."**

They had said that through the resonance of their own raw power plus with the backing of the World. They were no longer Grim Reapers. They had broken free and had returned to their glory. They were whole once again and had been acknowledged as Predators and had been granted their titles and rankings as though they had never perished.

Issei felt the tug at the back of his mind. The World told him where he stood.

God looked up and met his gaze. **"My fight is elsewhere. Yours is here. Just remember one thing."**

She smiled up at him. A mischievous smile belonging to the entity who knew all things but was more than reluctant to share that infinite knowledge. He would have to earn it.

 **"Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan~"** both the Earth Mother and the Heavenly Father sang.

…And then they were gone.

"…Seriously?" Issei said after a moment of silence.

0-0-0

"It looks like you don't need my help after all."

Issei turned to see Ayame and Pluto appear out of the hole leading to the waiting room. Accompanying them was Tiamat with her suit a little ruffled, the living doll Clockwork, and Richard Royals.

Richard had spoken up. He had a sharp look on his florescent eyes. He looked ready to throw down at any instance.

Ayame froze as she saw the Vampire, who split his smile even wider and wiggled his fingers towards her. Her complexion became ghastly pale as she broke out into a cold sweat.

Issei kicked the Vampire hard enough to create a boom. The Vampire's body flew until it crashed against the already ruined stairs.

"I wasn't going to do nothing!" spat the Vampire. "Great Zombie Jesus, man! I thought we settled this already!"

"Stay away from her," Issei growled low enough to let the ground rumble beneath his feet. "I still don't get why you helped me. But don't think because of this I'm letting you out of my sight. As soon as I save Sona… I'm going to kill you again and make sure _nothing_ will let you revive."

"Ah…" the Vampire breathed out with a wide smile. "So that's what this is about. That's the Sitri girl who threw water at me, yeah? I remember her. You better make sure you set an example to whoever's responsible. Remember the last time someone took what was most precious from you?"

In the corner of his vision, he saw Ayame take a step back to hide behind Tiamat.

"I remember…" Issei growled. His armor shifted in reaction to his fury rising. "I killed him."

The Vampire cackled in response.

"Fourth Researcher," Richard spoke up as he walked to stand beside Issei. He was addressing the Vampire without his British slang. "We are pressed for time. Will you help us? Or will I exorcise you here and now?"

"…I haven't been called that in a while," the Vampire's smile shifted. "I don't want to go away just yet. I'd like to see this through. I want to see if the kid here has grown up since last we met. I promise to behave and all that jargon. Besides, this is my home too. Even if all you fucks say I don't belong here."

"Do I have your word? Swear it on your name. If not, I will expel you from this place."

The Vampire's smile dropped. "…Yeah. I do."

Richard nodded, "I know your name. I will use it against you if you are lying."

"I'm not gonna lie to an old one," the Vampire muttered back and stood from where Issei flung him.

"Master," Amelia spoke up. She pointed to one corner of the room. "Hades resides behind there. The Ouroboros had already passed through before you arrived. I do not know the plan they hold for her."

"Ophis?" Richard spun around to ask her. "But… She's working with the Brigade. She's its leader. She formed it for the sake of battling Great Red. They're planning on betraying her?"

"…I didn't know that," Issei said in a low voice. "You mean all this time, when we were with her, she sitting on my lap and eating dinner with us, you _never_ bothered to tell me she was the enemy?!"

"Oh shit, did we not tell you about that?" said the Vampire. "It was on the memo and everything. Did you not get—"

His words were cut short by an abrupt Dragon Shot.

"Learn to take a joke!" spat the Vampire through a burning face.

"The Queen is only invested in returning to the Dimensional Gap," Tiamat spoke up. "She has aligned herself with mundane forces in hopes any of them may give her an edge against the current Dra'cueri King. They are a remarkable bunch with plenty of Defiant wielders; one of them may prove to become a bane against Great Red."

"Am I the only one doesn't know about this?!" Issei swung his arms around at them.

Ayame was the only one to raise her hand.

"Ophis is as much a part of the system as you, Predator," Richard said in a sharp voice. "She may announce herself as your enemy but _everything_ in her is opposes the Abyss, even if she is not aware of it. She can try to awaken the Triangular Beast all she wants but in the end she does more to protect us than to harm us."

"You mean like the situation we're in right now?" Issei was fuming. "How about sending backup when my friends were attacked at my school?! How about all those other attacks around the world? How many people did she kill through her orders?"

He looked at her with such a sharp gaze it made Issei flinch.

This was not the Mad Archmage of Wales. This was the person who had attacked Issei one afternoon years ago and had nearly killed him. This was the person whom Richard Royals and Donald Douglas and all other identities he had assumed had originated from.

This was the person who could stand against all the Predators and _win._

"The enemy is gathered under one banner," Richard said clearly but in a harsh tone. "It grants us a chance to wipe them out or for them to fight amongst their selves. She had them expose themselves to us so we could know about their potential. Yes, we lost much. But understand how much more we gained in the end. Look at how far you have become, Ise."

"How can I trust you?" Issei said, daring to meet his gaze. "You lied to me. You didn't tell me it was Rolan who had made the Predator Pieces. Do you have any idea what he's done to me? To those I love?"

"I didn't," Richard never looked away either. "Nor would I have if you never learned. I'm not going to have this with you right now. We've wasted enough time. I heard from [Twilight] Sona was taken. We can talk more after she is out of harm's way."

He put one hand on Issei's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. Emotions were expressed in that lone gesture. He was sorry for having to lie but didn't regret doing it. He was still his friend even if Issei would no longer trust him. And he was going to be there to put himself in the fray even if he wasn't a defender of the planet.

"…Are there any other Reapers with Hades?" Issei asked for anyone to answer.

"Only those standing watch over Ms. Sitri," Amelia answered. "Several left after I did. They were probably dispatched to deal with any other resistance."

"The Valkyrie of Mars was dealing against most of them," Tiamat answered. It took him a moment to realize she was talking about Li Qin. "The mundane women supporting her took the Devils out of my company. That was when I ran into the son of Star."

"There are no Reapers by Hades," the Vampire said. "I jumped two when they came out of the door. There's one guy decked in the gear inside but… don't worry about him."

"…That only makes me want to worry," Issei muttered.

"I know. That's why I said it."

"Ise-nii," Ayame stepped up and reached for his hand. With a bit of will did the gauntlet pull away to expose his hand. She removed her own glove in order to touch him. "Will you kill Hades?"

He would have denied her immediately some time ago. It felt like ages when she looked up to him as the hero he pretended to be.

"I have to," he said without hesitation. "He is a part of the Khaos Brigade who want to destroy the World. I have to make sure their plan stops here and they think twice about facing us."

Amelia shuffled in her feet. The Vampire's smile grew just a sliver.

Ayame looked like she had been slapped. But she willed the expression back. She gripped his hand a little tighter.

"Okay…" she said in a small voice. "I understand, Ise-nii. You're doing this… because you're a hero. The hero needs to stop the villain…"

He received mixed feelings from her response. A pit of dread left a hole in his heart. He couldn't understand why he was feeling like this.

"YOUR MOST INGLORIOUSNESS!" shouted Pluto. She took off running straight for the corner that had the hidden door Richard nearly reached. "THEY'RE COMING TO KILL—"

Clockwork, who had been following Richard, extended a foot to the side and tripped the little Original. She stumbled, flailing her hands around in an attempt to keep her balance, but flopped to the floor.

She rolled onto her back, gripped her knee, and began to rock herself back and forth.

"Adams McCain is inside," Richard called out. "Be prepared for anything. But no matter what, no matter how you feel for him or how provoked, _do not_ attack him. As soon as you start, that is when you will lose."

"Take heed, Master," Amelia said at Issei's side. "Adams had been able to transfer his Mark onto my sister. That was why I perished. His is far more potent. You will be slain if it is your intention to kill him. His Mark will activate before you can carry it out."

The final boss has Fragarach. Got it.

Amelia stared at him. "Why does it feel like you misunderstand, Master?"

"Probably because today's the first time I've seen the guy everyone else is so worried about," he answered honestly.

She accepted his answer with a nod.

"Ddraig," Tiamat spoke up before they set off. "Perhaps it would be wise to allow me to duel [Chronicle]. You've yet to remember anything. Do you know who you are?"

He looked at her and gave her a smile behind his helm.

 **"I am Seventh, the Dragoon,"** he answered with the voice of the World.

His answer made her frown.

0-0-0

"…That damn brat," snarled Hades suddenly. He turned halfway, looking over his shoulder back at the entrance.

Adams did not look away from Ophis as he continued to drain her. He was nearly done. The Marks of Mind, Flight, Seduction, and Speech had been devoured. In just a few minutes he would be done absorbing the Mark of Craft. And after that will be Steps.

Then, Ophis would be nothing more than a hollowed husk.

"What is it?" he asked.

"My strongest game pieces were converted," Hades sneered. He fully turned and stepped to the front of the room, passing by Adams. "Moon's Unity… how did he do it without access to his Law?"

"Will your personal grudge become a hindrance?" Adams asked, now pulling his eyes away from Ophis and boring into the back of Hades' skull.

Hades stiffened.

"No," he said quickly. "I will see to it personally nothing interferes. How much longer until the Queen is bled dry?"

Adams tilted his head as he examined Ophis' condition. She still continued to fight for survival. But she was weakening. Both her powers and strengths were coming undone. It was becoming pure data within his gauntlet. She was unraveling from the inside and was soon to crumble.

Still, her soulless eyes never looked away from him through the gaps of his fingers.

"Ten minutes," he said while looking at her. It was a rough estimate.

"Ten minutes…" repeated Hades. He turned to look at Sona. "Yes. If it is someone like Ddraig…"

A square chunk of wall spun around on an axis, swiveling inwards. It was a secret passage that led to the panic room and eventually the underground passages out of the city. But they were only occupying the front room. There was no need to go deeper into the castle when they could open a portal when the need to run came.

"Son of Star," Adams stated more than greeted. "Twilight. Potential. Four. Whore of Babylon."

"Outsider!" roared the Mad Archmage. "You are not welcome here! Release Ophis at once!"

"Your most vileness!" Pluto leapt to the front of the group and slid on the ground on her belly. "Run! Go quickly! They're here to kill you!"

Hades put a hand to his face and released a long sigh. "Oh… Now I see why Ddraig triumphed. Your existence alone warrants my misfortune. I thought if I kept you away you couldn't ruin our plans. What a fool I was to underestimate the immeasurable powers of an Original."

"…Everything I do is to help you, Most Vile One," Pluto gave a small sob.

"Hades!" Issei shouted as he stepped up beside Richard. "Let Sona go!"

"Fucking CHRIST!" the Vampire swore. "Have you learned _nothing_?! We went over this when I cursed your so-called sister! It doesn't work that way!"

"It wasn't a request," Issei sneered back. The spikes of his armor twitched as the scaled plating of his armor flexed.

"Still a goddamn lousy hero…" the Vampire grumbled.

"Clockwork," commanded Richard.

The humanoid constructed changed. The gears and cogs forming her body spun or folded. Some overlapped the other. She whole transformed from a humanoid figure into an instrument of warfare.

She had become a spear decorated and comprised of clockwork mechanisms. Richard took her and took on a stance that hadn't been seen since the Primordial Age. It was too close to the dances used by the Primordial Lawmakers in their duels. It was something the humans of that time had taken for themselves, modified it, and used it against the Lawmakers in an age when there was only _one_ World.

Hades realized he wasn't dealing with any mundane. He was dealing with _the son of Star_ in all his glory. His madness had somehow cleared up just now of all times.

He wasn't the only one to realize this, however.

A low growl was heard by everyone in the far back of the room. The avatar of Great Red stirred from the commotion and started to rise at the presence of something worthy of a challenge.

"Son of Star," Hades said clearly for everyone to hear, including, and _especially,_ Red. "You are without a doubt the mightiest in this room. Would you deny this?"

Richard's head lowered as his eyes narrowed. His crouch lowered, ready to leap forward and strike at Hades.

He moved faster than lightning, but not to attack. He spun the spear around to deflect a punch that had come from the King rushing forward to meet a worthy opposition. The red avatar brought his lips back in a sneer of excitement for the battle. The skin of his knuckles were peeled but not deep enough to draw blood. The spear that was Clockwork had only deflected the first strike.

Richard was too close to everyone else to put up a better counter. He could not swing his spear around as he liked else have it split those behind him in half. He could only keep it over his shoulders as he spun around, using the butt and blade of the spear to deflect the next few rounds.

"The King is here?!" shouted Tiamat as she shoved Ayame aside to get her out of the way.

"Oh shit!" said the Vampire as he dove aside.

Amelia would have gotten caught in the crossfire.

"Hey! Douche bag!"

…If Issei hadn't grabbed Red by the collar of his jacket and flung him with all his strength. Red flew, slamming his back against the wall when it should have crumbled from the impact. The Dra'cueri King slumped down, more dazzled by being caught by surprise than the impact.

"H-He…" Hades said in a low voice. "He managed to _touch_ the King?"

Red stood. He grinned with the hunger for battle as his eyes were locked on Issei.

"Pluto," Hades called out and lifted the Original off the ground. He then patted her head. "You did well. I underestimated the immeasurable powers of an Original."

"Yay!" purred Pluto as she leaned her head against his head. "I don't know what I did but I'm happy to have served Your Most Evilness well. What did I do?"

"You brought something to distract the King."

What hit Issei should have been a fist. It wasn't any different than a regular human's fist. It had four knuckles attached to a hand, attached to an arm, and attached to a human body.

But what really hit him felt like… he ran out of things to compare it to. His measurements didn't go that high.

Blood splattered out of his mouth as fangs and metal flew everywhere. Red had been there faster than a blink to strike at Issei.

He found himself dazed. It felt like every other time he had been hit was _nothing_ compared to this. He had been having _pillow fights_ for most of his life until this guy kicked open his front door and decked him across the jaw.

"Master!" cried Amelia. Least he was pretty sure it was Amelia. Seriously, who else called him that?

The pain went away as she drank the sin of the punch. His armor reformed and his wounds were healed. He was back in focus for another round.

He brought his claw around to swipe at Red. He ducked underneath and came back up with a jab at his exposed solar plexus. More armor shattered and Issei spat up blood.

Amelia reversed the damages once more. It had hardly been a second since the last time.

"[Twilight]," called out Hades.

Tiamat turned to him, her eyes flaring as her draconic features started to appear. She was ready to assist Issei before Hades called out her true name.

He took a step forward, spread his arms out at his waist, one foot in front of the other, and gave the formal bow of seeking game.

Tiamat's eyes widened.

 **Do you know who I am?**

Hades' body shattered into a thousand specks of light. The dust, sparkling like diamonds, drifted towards another, forming a new whole mass. Stories formed around him. The tellings of ancients from the Beginning to what shall eventually become the End. Every legend, every recording, every happenstance and there-between made up his true form.

 **I am, Order**

 **I am, Time**

 **My Dream, it seeks an end**

 **My Nothing, it fills the gap**

 **I am, Aware**

 **I am… [Chronicle]!**

No more was he Hades. He had removed the character just as easily as one would discard a heavy cloak. He was exposed. He had shown his true colors and revealed himself before Tiamat. He had performed the rite of challenge.

Tiamat glared at him. He could read her so easily. She wanted to assist her beloved _Ddraig._ But she was a creature of protocol, just like any other Primordial Lawmaker. This was how they were since becoming aware of the other's presence. Since they descended from their planes of existence to frolic with the mundane.

Tiamat bore her fangs… and then bowed in return.

 **Do you know who I am?**

She removed her character just as he did to meet his challenge.

 **I am, First**

 **I am, Last**

 **My Dream, it started all**

 **My Nothing, it ends all**

 **I am, Everlasting**

 **I am… [Twilight]!**

She stepped forward, finishing the next phase. They bowed in unison, fully acknowledging the other and understanding what sort of game they were about to play. She assumed an Assaulter stance. He took on a Defender.

They were no longer Hades and Tiamat. They were the Laws of Chronicle and Twilight respectively.

"WAIT!" Pluto shrieked and ran away. "LET ME GET OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE—"

They threw their Laws at another as the duel began.

"Ise!" Richard shouted as he rose back to his feet. Red had thrashed him aside when he came to assist Issei. He realized the Dra'cueri King wasn't interested in him any longer. He could use that. "Keep him busy!"

"Easier said than—" was all Issei had a chance to say before Red decked him again with a world-shattering jag. That's all it was. A simple quick jab straight into his nose. And yet it felt like a star had exploded right in front of his face. Not a grenade, not even the planet, but a damn supernova going off with an explosion capable of wiping out this galaxy and the next ten around it.

"M-Master…" panted Amelia. "I can't keep up!"

She was right. This guy was wailing on him faster than she could remove his sins. In fact, for every sin removed did two or three hits exchange. Red was moving faster than what should have been possible. He was like a phantom that had no restrictions to the laws of physics. It felt like with his bare fists alone he could punch the lights out of the solar system.

He was surpassing Issei's speed in the Knight Promotion. He couldn't keep up and was staying too long in the Defender stance. He could barely get a chance to shift into the Assaulter stance; and whenever he did, he would receive a strike into the Assaulter's weak points.

He didn't know any of the other stances. Tiamat hadn't taught him enough. In only a few days in her citadel she had corrected the stances he already knew. That was as far as they got.

Red didn't need stances. He just swung his fists around like a drunkard in a bar. But everything he threw had more weight than anything else Issei had faced against.

Every strike knocked the living shit out of him.

The Vampire couldn't help this time. He was nothing but a smear on the wall from when he first tried. All Red did was backhand him and then _splat._

[Promotion: Rook Juggernaut Overdrive!]

Issei put up a defense and took a step away from Red, trying to give him at least a half second. Red didn't follow up in his attacks. His grin shifted as he waited patiently for Issei to shift.

The armor changed. It consumed more of his power in order to reinforce the metal into three separate layers. The red plating became hexagonal, compressing tightly against another with limited gaps between each tile. The spikes became separate shields, bucklers, braces, and grooves to reinforce the places he was going to get hit the most. Both heavily restricted his movement in favor of better shielding.

His metal wings folded over until they were compacted into two-halves of a shield, covering the most of his back liken to a turtle's shell.

His claws became large fists with thrusters protruding out of the elbows. These would reinforce his punches to up to ten times his normal use in Juggernaut Drive.

He was at his slowest in this form. But it was his greatest defense and strongest in terms of physical feats.

The next punch from Red still knocked the hell out of him. But he had been able to keep standing straight. His head spun back around and he brought his fist to Red's face.

Red's head whipped around as blood spat out of his mouth. There was the briefest flash of shock in his eyes. His mouth split open in a ferocious grin of excitement. He turned back around and retaliated in kind.

They both went at another like this, bashing fists against the other in an attempt to break the other open.

"Outsider!" Richard roared and pointed the Clockwork spear at Adams McCain.

Adams hardly looked his way. He only lifted his head slightly with his eyes still locked on Ophis' weakening form. "Son of Star. That will not work. You already tried it."

Richard gripped his spear.

"I know," he growled, his eyes glowing and power surging out of his body like glistening sweat. He stood straight, raising the spear with one hand.

The spear transformed. Clicking and popping and whining as it turned and folded over on itself. With a flick of his wrist did it become a bow.

"The Clockwork Spine," Adams noted. "Your results will be the same. Nothing has changed."

"Everything has changed," Richard snapped back and drew the bow. There was no arrow in his grip as he pointed a finger at Adams' direction.

The Mark on Adams' brow twitched, turned to look at Richard with unseen eyes of its own. It began to glow with anticipation to return whatever damage Richard sought against Adams back onto him.

Richard released the string. It thwacked in the air.

Power capable of forcing the mightiest of Lawmakers, be they Original or Primordial, to even the unknown and eldritch Outsiders that had visited this realm, burst forth from the bow. Reality folded over, parted, and twisted into a vortex. A gap was made in the shape of an arrow.

That arrow didn't pierce through Adams.

It struck Ophis.

The Ouroboros Dragon of Infinity let out a gasp as her body was swept away into nothingness, released from Adams' grip. Her body disappeared and Adams was left holding onto empty space.

Ophis reappeared, limbs sprawled and lifeless with her head dangling backwards. Richard held her with one arm around her waist. Her eyes were still open, staring at nothing. She was weakened to the point of being unable to move on her own; but her eyes were still fully conscious. She was aware of her surroundings.

Richard did not hesitate after that. With a single syllable did he conjure the magic necessary to teleport the two of them from the premises and out of Adams' reach.

They were gone as soon as the sound escaped Richard's lips.

Adams lifted his gauntlet and stared at it. There was no look of disappointment or outrage. His face was full of… expectancy. It was as though he didn't just anticipate this mistake. It was more like he had lived through it more than enough times to the point it no longer stirred a reaction out of him.

"…Ninety-two percent of her Law consumed," he stated as he read the statistics on the gauntlet. "Five of her Marks. Mind, Speech, Flight, Seduction, and Craft. No Steps. It will have to do."

Adams lowered the gauntlet and headed to the back of the room. He had gotten what he came for. He dismissed all else and began to pack up. He was undoing the bindings on the gauntlet and securing the data into a suitcase stationed in one corner of the room. He took his time, never worried— let alone caring in the slightest— about everything happening behind him.

"You're not getting—" shouted Issei… before he got a mouth full of knuckles for the… he lost count already.

Adams paid him no mind. It was as though he never heard him.

Issei was weakening. The amount of blows exchanged between he and Red was too different. The ratio was way off. It didn't matter if he could take a few more hits or delivering stronger ones in this form. Red was outclassing him in speed, strength, defense, and sheer endurance. In fact, he was pretty sure Red purposely got hit to either even them out or for the excitement of it.

Amelia couldn't keep up either. Sin poured endlessly off of Issei as she drank in all his wounds. She was on her knees at this point; her body nothing more than a ruined mess of black and blue flesh beaten to a pulp. She couldn't let it sink into her Creyroux as it was and endless stream. And the blows kept coming.

"I'm leaving, Chronicle," Adams announced. "I leave Potential to you."

 **Naturally. [Twilight] will soon lose. I hold every advantage against her despite the differences in our ranks. Rest assured, I will make this** _ **Predator**_ **crawl and beg. I will have him watch as I catalogue the demise of his lover.**

Adams nodded in confirmation. It was exactly as [Chronicle] said. He was one tier lower in the hierarchy of Primordial Lawmakers. He was a Universal-class Primordial while [Twilight] belonged in the omnipotent Quantum-class. Yet, it was because of the similarities of their Laws did their duel fall in [Chronicle's] favor.

The Law of Twilight was about all things having a beginning and an end. The Law of Chronicle was what defined that Law further, telling _how_ all things began and how they shall end.

In short, [Chronicle] was using her own Law against her. He was the only Primordial below her class that could defeat her.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH SONA!" Issei shouted at the top of his lungs, even when he was getting knocked around.

Adams paused, turned, and looked at Issei with mild interest.

He looked at him as he would with everything else— something he had seen too many times to be impressed at all. But it was also a rarity of itself for him to be drawn, to be distracted by something he found too boring to be of interest.

[Usurpation: Queen Alice Hunter!]

The armor around Issei changed once more. Metal became fabric and leather. The plated draconian steel turned into a long cloak with leather brawling gloves and tipped boots. The helm turned into a draconic mask that only covered his face.

Crimson power radiated off of him like a sun. It bathed the room in an essence that damned his enemies and boosted the parameters of his allies. He was a beacon of hope and triumph. He promised victory and was going to see it happen at any cost.

But…

[ERROR! GLITCH DETECTED IN MAIN PROCESSOR! SYSTEM RESET IN 5…]

But just like last time, something about this Promotion form was wrong. Vorpal couldn't register it. Instead of waiting for Vorpal to naturally install itself into his Boosted Gear and program the Queen Promotion, Issei had listened to figures in his dream. He had forced something against Vorpal's protocols. He had forced the Queen Promotion to happen earlier than it should have. The end result had been a sloppy installation.

He had five seconds in this form.

He would have to make it work.

He threw a fist at Red while blocking another. His fist sent a burst of crimson energy that did far more damage than it should have. Red's head knocked back as a trail of blood and teeth flew around.

This form had the speed of a Knight, the endurance and strength of a Rook, and the control of a Bishop. He could match Red's speed, match his strength and defense, and could amplify his fists with draconian essence to create concussive Dragon Shots before impact.

With this, he could overpower this guy.

 _You talk too much,_ something in the back of his head reminded him. He didn't know where the thought came from. But he had taken it to heart. It meant something great to him. It was a mistake he had made before and had long corrected himself of it. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

He did not hesitate in going into a series of combos against Red. He forwent the Defender stance and used only Assaulter. He prioritized offense, even if it meant exposing himself for more attacks.

Red's teeth were like fangs. His eyes had become slits. The stench of a Dragon oozed out of him as he gave in to his more predatory desires. He flashed his teeth in a crossbreed of a smile and snarl.

He threw in kicks this time. He put up his hands to guard when needed. Red wasn't going to fool around this time. He was taking Issei seriously and going to give it his all.

Issei was frustrated this guy had been holding back the entire time. He _had_ been playing with Issei for the fun of it. Someone this powerful really did exist. He was matching Issei's strongest form— the Juggernaut Drive augmented by Vorpal and the Promotion of a Queen. He wasn't transforming like one of the Lawmakers to overpower him! He was fully physical just as Issei was. He was using _his bare fists_ to be at his level.

That's right. They were even. It meant, when it came down to it, it was going to be a contest of skill and endurance. He who could land the first critical blow the other couldn't recover from was the victor. There was no style in this fight. This was just stupid, hazardous, brutal brawling.

Issei broke Red's jaw. But Red kicked in Issei's knee. Issei tackled Red and shattered his ribs. Red slammed his fists into his back and broke his shoulders. Issei swept his legs in a spin. Red rolled with it and brought his heel up into Issei's chin. Issei bounced back and slammed his foot down over Red's. Red smashed his palm into Issei's mask. Issei elbowed him at the side of his temple.

They exchanged more blows. Issei tried to finish this off as quickly as he could. He needed to get to Sona and get her out of here.

Red only fought for the fun of it. His eyes blazed with wonderment as he brought his limbs around in a savage frenzy.

 **Very good, Pluto. Very good. I shall raise your pay starting tomorrow.**

Pluto squealed with delight.

[SYSTEM REBOOT ENGAGE]

…Because time had expired.

Issei's entire Sacred Gear turned off. The crimson garment that made up his Queen Alice Hunter disintegrated. He was exposed.

He fell to his knees, exhaustion striking at him almost as hard as any of Red's punches. Sweat drenched him. He couldn't catch his breath. It felt like he couldn't breathe no matter how hard he inhaled. He was going to pass out at any second. His eyes were wide but couldn't focus on anything. His vision was narrowed to the point of a small dot of color.

Red… looked down at him with such disappointment.

He then grabbed Issei by his hair, pulled his head up, and punched him right at the eye.

"ISSEI!" Sona shouted in horror.

"MASTER!" Amelia's horrendously grotesque voice reached his ears. It was a voice that shouldn't have come from a human. She was too consumed from the sins she had devoured from him to be anything resembling human.

But, she swung her Creyroux around. All of the sin she had accumulated gathered around at the tip. It lashed around, almost as primal and vicious as the darkness she had unleashed on the Heavenly Father in her latest strike.

She aimed it right at Red.

Red snorted, more annoyed than anything. Such as how a child would when being forced to take out the trash.

He reached out for the sin. His hands, more resembling claws as he had surrendered his form for a more draconian appearance, clutched around the sin like a fabric. None of it affected him. It couldn't sink into his skin and curse him with whatever damage Amelia had taken from Issei.

Red yanked on it. Impossibly, as though the sin had been a rope, Amelia was flung forward. Her body flew towards Red with her head snapping back in the whiplash.

He drove his fist into her stomach as soon as she reached him. There was the whooping noise of air and blood escaping her mouth. Like someone popping a paper bag full of air.

He threw her aside.

Amelia clutched at her stomach as she took deep gasping gestures. Her mouth gaped like a fish, repeatedly sucking in air as though she was choking. Her Creyroux buzzed near her. But it didn't consume any of the sin.

Rather, because of Red, it couldn't.

…Just as how the Vampire was still a bloodied smear on the wall. He _couldn't_ regenerate.

He turned back to look at Issei. He parted his lips back in a sneer, wondering what to do with Issei now that their fight was over.

"L-Leave him alone…" said Ayame in a tremendously frightened voice.

Red eyed her. The little girl held her dragon-slaying scythe in her hands, clutching on it tightly through shaking hands. She held it more like a shield than a weapon. Her entire body was shaking with terror. And yet, her eyes blazed with defiance. She was willing to stand up against him in order to protect Issei.

And Issei had responded to this. With as much strength as he could draw upon, he gripped the seam of Red's pant leg. The grip was weak, easy to remove. He couldn't even lift his head high enough to meet Red's eyes.

"Leave… her…"

Yet, Issei hissed as a man bent on killing himself if it meant he could protect his things.

Red lifted Issei up by the collar. A flash of respect went through his eyes. This boy, born a mundane and having assimilated one of his kind, had the pride of a Dragon. He coveted his things and would fight to his dying breath to keep them _his._

…But this was nature. This was _Red's_ domain, for he was King. It was _his_ right to take what he wanted. He was going to show this boy that rule, only because he respected the boy. After all, hardly anyone in the omniverse could put up such a fight against him. Even if he was only an avatar of his Greater self.

"ISSEI!" Sona shouted once more. "You need to get to me. Please! Get to me!"

Life burned once more in Issei. His hands reached up to grip against Red's wrist. He bared his fangs as the will to fight returned to him.

 **Brother mine, retreat at once! I will deal with the avatar of Great Red once—**

[Twilight] was interrupted as [Chronicle] made his move.

 **Such words. Do not forget your quarrel is with** _ **me**_ **! Our match is yet complete.**

"Issei, please…" Sona fell to her side and started to crawl her way to Issei. She fumbled around as [Chronicle's] Law bound her wrists and ankles together. "I need you! You… You're going to die! Ise, please, I don't want to lose you! I don't want to lose anybody else! I'll do it! I'll do it, so please, come to me!

"I NEED YOU TO POKE MY BREASTS!"

All manner of existence froze for a second.

 **N-No… it can't be…**

[Chronicle's] voice shook. He was the first to realize what was going to happen.

Red's grip on Issei loosened slightly. His eyes flew open wide with realization, with recognition. He _knew_ what Issei was. The cogs in his head could be seen turning.

His smile returned, just as savage as ever. A fire burned within him. His shoulders shook as the crackling noise of laughter only a Dragon could make escaped deep in his chest.

"Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan~" he said.

[Twilight's] body twisted around at the mention of those words.

 **That ludicrous prophecy?! Not you too, Your Majesty. Such a travesty cannot exist.**

[Chronicle] rose his voice.

 **You damn fool! Of course it's real! The prophecy came from THE OUTSIDE! It doesn't follow any of our Laws! S-Sinner! Do something! Stop them from uniting!**

Adams didn't move from where he stood. His eyes kept observing the outcome.

[Chronicle] started to fall into a panicked frenzy.

 **You damn stupid worthless King! Your pride will become your undoing! Finish him before—**

All it took for [Chronicle] to be still was one look from the Dra'cueri King. He hauled Issei up to his feet and flung him at Sona, more out of spite against [Chronicle] at this point instead of to fulfill the prophecy composed by an Outsider.

Pluto raised her hand to stop [Chronicle] before he could demand of her, "Yeah, uh, _no one_ gets paid enough to go against the Dravirik Lae'cueri King."

Sona fumbled the rest of the way to reach Issei. She scooped her arms over his head to wrap herself around him. She pulled him close to her and held him tight.

"Ise…" she whispered with worry. "Listen to me. This may sound crazy but… I need you to do it. What you did to Rias was only half-true. It was with the wrong person. You need to do the same thing with me. Do you understand?"

Issei didn't respond. His Gift of Flight twitched, wanting to be activated now that he was here with Sona. But something kept them pinned to his back.

He could _feel_ the glare from Red where he stood. Something he was doing was keeping his Gift from activating.

She held him tighter. "I'm sorry," she whispered tenderly. "I hurt you. The Chichigami told me everything I did to you. I hurt you badly. But, please, trust me. Trust me and I will never betray you, Ise. Never again."

She shuffled in her position to pull her arms away from him. His head rested against her lap as her hands fumbled with her blouse. She unbuttoned every knock until her chest was exposed. She hesitated only for a moment out of childish embarrassment as her hands gripped the center of her bra. The moment passed.

She lifted the fabric until her breasts were revealed to him.

He stared at them. Partly in disbelief, partly still in a weakened daze, and partly out of admiration. It was the admiration that won. He returned to the importance of the situation. His hand lifted up to reach out for her breast. It shook in the air as he hesitated.

"I-Ise…" Sona's face was burning. "Please, hurry. You've no idea what this is doing to me…"

"…I don't know which one I'm supposed to touch."

His response nearly knocked the wind out of her. "O-Of all the things?!"

"Why not poke them both, stupid?" Pluto critiqued, and then slapped both hands over her mouth as she realized what she had just done.

[Chronicle] let loose a cry of outrage that could never be replicated by anything else in the mortal spectrum.

Issei raised his other hand parallel to his right… and went for Sona's breasts.

They were small. Modest, really. But they were the pair he had stared at for countless hours. Whenever they studied together, he peeked at her chest. Whenever she bent over to go over battle strategy, he peeked into the gaps between her buttons for a side-boob. Whenever she visited him in casual clothes, he had a field day ogling her.

When she flashed him that sunset in the Student Council room… it broke his heart. He never knew seeing a pair of breasts could ever hurt him. Sona's had. He had hoped to be able to see her, accepted he never would, and then suddenly had hope for a bright future when they made that bargain. She crushed him. The one treasure he valued over everything else turned to dust before his eyes.

And here it was again. He was given a second chance. She was willingly given herself up to him. For him.

He praised his elder gods of debauchery and sank his fingers into her nipples. The soft sensation against his fingers electrified him.

Sona's lips twitched. Her face burned brighter. And then…

"Ahn!" she gasped in a high-pitched voice she couldn't withhold.

Fire, no, life, no, power, no, ALL THAT WAS coursed through Issei as the sound of her voice echoed throughout his head, bouncing around the entirety of his being.

He felt something within him click.

 **Do you know who I am?!**

His body exploded into a burst of crimson light. Dust of letters scattered all over the room. Lines of power reached out to them, connecting each individual particle with another to form a grand nexus. They formed sigils, songs, stories, colors, patterns, shapes, and concepts.

 **I am, Creation**

 **I am, the Forward**

His body was being reformed, comprised of things that _may be_. Things that could be. Endless possibilities and endless failures. He was made out of crimson wishes, desires, hopes, and triumphs.

 **My Dream, it shall forever grow**

 **My Nothing, it shall forever stretch**

All of these possibilities became compressed, taking rudimentary shape of a humanoid figure. It was of Issei's build, his height and his body structure. Every now and then, his face could be seen shimmering where the head was.

He turned back to face Red, who had already adjusted himself for another round of fighting.

 **I am, Endless**

 **I am… [Potential]!**

He raised his fists, glowing masses of future events that may happen and past events that could have been. He did not bow.

He went straight for Red with everything he had.

The first strike went to him. Issei's fist met Red's cheek hard enough to tear at the skin, shatter bone, and draw blood. Red took a few steps back with eyes wide in surprise.

It didn't hurt anymore. Issei didn't lose sensation in this form. It just didn't hurt to hit something as hard as Red's face like all the other times before.

He could also keep track of Red's movements. Rather, he was seeing _everything_ Red was about to do. Possibilities. Endless possibilities. He wasn't consumed by them. He understood each of them and knew which ones had the highest probability.

He followed through with them, ducking and deflecting while bringing his fists around to deliver the most critical blows he could.

It was like the Predator perk all over again. Except this one was the upgraded version without any of the drawbacks. He _knew_ what would leave the most amount of damage and how to avoid. It wasn't instinct this time. It was fact.

What he loved most of all, there was no feeling of rage. A tremendous strain was lifted off of him. He could see the World clearly for what it was. He could read its Laws, scan at its foundations while he fought, and could manipulate it to work in his favor.

He could see Red for what he truly was; nothing more than a shadow. He was just a fragment of something bigger out there. He was just a projection. No more than an illusion compared to his real self.

Issei was, in a sense, a god in this form.

No, he almost laughed. He was a Lawmaker.

He was the Law of Potential!

It wasn't a fight. It was vicious retaliation.

Issei knocked Red hard enough to have his head blown off his shoulder. Red mist splattered onto the wall behind him. His body collapsed… and then vanished. The blood that would have stained the wall was nowhere to be seen.

 **Oh… [Potential]. Brother mine. You… You remember…**

 **Impossible! This is impossible! Damn these Outsiders and their interference! You are** _ **mundane**_ **! How can you wield the Law of Potential?!**

[Twilight] was sobbing with bliss. [Chronicle] was roaring with atrocity.

"…Nothing has changed," Adams stated with a dispassionate voice. He had witnessed Issei's transformation. He had tossed it aside as unimportant. He hefted the suitcase and pulled out a transceiver from his pocket. It would open a portal into the Dimensional Gap.

 **Hold it. Don't think I'm going to let you walk away like that.**

Adams didn't face Issei. He waited until headquarters received his message to open a pathway.

"Master…" croaked Amelia. She was starting to recover as Creyroux drank the wound Red had inflicted on her. "Don't… You can't beat him."

Issei shook his head while raising a fist.

 **I can see it for myself. That Mark… it doesn't belong here. Any damage I do to him will come back to me threefold. If I want to kill him, I'm gone for good. But… I think I can withstand a punch that'll leave a mark.**

Adams remained facing forward. His eyes continued to stare at the device such as how one would wait for the microwave to cook their frozen dinner.

But his Mark twitched. It turned around, stretching to the edge of his brow like a parasite noticing something about to attack it. The Mark stared back at him. He didn't need to read into its Law to know how wrong it was. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen, physically and otherwise.

 **You are a greater fool than I thought, [Potential]. All that… and you still think you are this Hyoudou Issei. You wield your Law once again yet you still follow through as a mundane?! How far will your LARPING go?!**

"I told you he was a weeaboo," Pluto stated in the background.

[Twilight] sounded like her heart had been broken.

 **[Potential]… You still don't remember? Why? Why can't you? You have access to your Law. Why do you believe you are this mundane child?**

Issei had moved. His hand had gripped Adams' shoulder. The man looked up at him with boredom while his Mark was glaring maliciously. He could feel its authority reflect back on him. There was a pressure on his shoulder just as how he gripped Adams.

… **Because, I** _ **am**_ **Hyoudou Issei. I am Seventh Predator, the Dragoon. And this is my home.**

He went through with his promise. The Mark flared, stretching out of Adams' skin like a painting jumping out of its canvas. The workings of a force not belonging to this Realm snatched onto Issei's form and sought to do the same harm he was about to do to Adams. It was faster than Issei. It attacked him even before Issei began to first process of drawing his fist back.

But… something shielded him. The retaliation never made its way through.

Adams' eyes went wide— the first emotion revealed to anyone.

Issei's fist landed at the bottom of Adams' chin and knocked him off his feet. He crashed onto the floor in a tumble of limbs.

Groans came from the man. Sobs, even. He was whining as though it was the first time anyone ever struck him. No, it was more like this was the first time he ever felt pain. He was gripping at his face and staring at the drips of blood that formed on the ground.

"W-Why…" his voice was shaking with teeth chattering. "W-Why do you possess… T-T-T-True L-Love?! Why do you have Father's touch?!"

Issei stared down at the man. The room was entirely silent. He could feel Amelia's astonishment that borderline madness. She, the only one relatively aware and who had witnessed Adams' Mark firsthand the last time he was present in this World, was trembling.

Issei wasn't. He had come to the realization.

 **I can touch you.**

Adams let out a scream of a man who was facing death. He knew he was going to perish.

Issei moved forward.

A portal into the Dimensional Gap opened between them. Issei found himself falling inside. The Gift of Flight activated, radiating the light of his Lawmaker form. He spun around and went back out of the portal to pursue Adams.

But when he jumped back into reality… Adams was gone. He didn't see the man enter through the portal. But… no Law works the same way in the Dimensional Gap. Hence why it was called such. They could have gone through the same portal but wind up in two different sectors of the Gap.

Issei let out a roar of frustration. The sound of his fury sent a ripple through reality.

 **W-What… What are you?! This is beyond the interaction of an Outsider! What are you, Oppai Dragon?! What are you to send a [SERAPH] screaming in terror?!**

[Chronicle] was shirking away. But he could not move much farther.

The duel between he and [Twilight] had yet to finish.

His own plans had backfired. The trap that had ensnared [Twilight] was now keeping him from fleeing.

Issei had remembered what [Chronicle] had done.

 **We are not done, brother mine. It is customary. Let me finish and then you may—**

Issei cut her off, stepping onto the playing field between them.

 **I don't care.**

[Chronicle] let out a squeal of fright as Issei slammed a fist forward. It shattered the invisible shield layered by the authorities of their Laws. He felt a compulsion within him shiver. It was liken to an instinct that he needed to listen to. It was something programmed deep within him. It was as though he was defying the very nature of his being.

He _really_ didn't give a fuck at the moment.

He brought another fist around and smashed it across [Chronicle's] head. The Lawmaker let out a wail of shock and panic as he was thrown aside.

 **[P-P-Potential!] You can't do this to me! This isn't our way! I… I forfeit! Do you hear me?! I said I—**

Issei brought his fist around once more. There was a splatter of sparks as though he had smashed a hammer against a heated sword. But instead of heated specks of metal, it was the substance that made up [Chronicle's] form. His head caved into a groove that made up Issei's fist.

He didn't listen to [Chronicle's] next protest or plea of mercy. He brought his fist down again.

He was going to kill him.

 **STOP! DESTROY ME AND YOUR LOVER WILL NOT HAVE HER PEERAGE!**

Issei's raised fist halted.

[Chronicle's] shoulders shook as his head slouched forward. He was laughing.

 **Ah, [Potential]. No,** _ **Ddraig.**_ **I knew it. I knew it! I see why you are so invested in this game. Why you believe so strongly you are this character. Why you have become a dog to the World and its Ruler. Why you risked your vessel to save this mundane girl. We only teased you but… it's was the truth all along, wasn't it?**

 **You fell in love with her! You… YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH A MUNDANE WOMAN!**

 **Understand this: destroy me and she will not get those souls I promised you. But that's not all, Ddraig. Understand it is by my Law are these Predators here. I could revive all of them again to have them fight with you in the Evensong. But if you destroy me… you will lose more than just your fellow dogs.**

 **You will lose Ayame Nakashima. It is by** _ **my**_ **Law she remains.**

 **Go on, Ddraig~ Destroy me~ Kill off all your predecessors and promise the Evensong. Let your beloved** _ **sister**_ **die a second time right before your eyes. Let the heart of the woman you love be broken by your callousness. Is revenge truly worth all these things?**

It was Issei's turn to shake. His hand gripped around the fabrics of wordless words that made up [Chronicle's] form. His other fist was still raised, shaking just as uncontrollably.

Power was burning out of him, vibrating the air and shifting reality.

His fist lowered slightly.

"Ise," Sona spoke up sharply. "Don't listen to him."

His head snapped to her. She could see a flash of widened, scandalized, terrified eyes before the ocean of possibilities masked him over once again.

She had her arms wrapped around her waist. Her fingers dug into her skin. But she absolutely refused to look away from him.

"Someone like this cannot be allowed to walk away from this," she said in a voice that betrayed her convictions. She was just as scared as he was. "Can you promise he won't do this again? I heard him talk about you. He despises you with everything he has."

She understood this decision. It hurt and tears threatened to fall down her face. She was fully acknowledging defeating [Chronicle] would finalize the death of her peerage.

"Master… Ise."

He turned, lowering his arms and almost letting go of [Chronicle].

Both Amelia and the Vampire were there standing close to them.

In the vision, in his ability to read and understand Law, he _looked_ at them.

…They weren't real. They were copies of their original selves and projected into reality. Their real selves had already moved on to the next life.

Amelia looked at him with shame, "I did want to return with you. I wanted to see Asia… at least one more time. But… it wouldn't be right."

"Yeah, man," the Vampire had a lukewarm grin as he pulled out a cigar from his pocket and lit it with a match. He took a few puffs before continuing. "We're really no different than your imaginary friends. You should'a figured that out sooner. God said something about this cunt's sword not being the real deal. And I don't have my mask. That's like my soul, man. Course I didn't have one before but… fuck, you get the picture."

It was true. And it was hurting all the more to see it revealed before him. Their bodies were comprised of the Law of Chronicle. They were just projections. They were copies scanned of the originals. They were like movie reels replaying the same image over and over again in an endless loop.

"Ise-nii…"

…What hurt him the most was seeing Ayame.

This girl… was more than just a projection. Though a projection she was. This girl _was_ Sherry, the one named by the Knights of the Round after they had taken her in for a brief time. He had gotten to know her, had walked her to school a few times, had held her hand and struck conversations with her. He had argued with her. She reached into him and teased at his emotions.

She wasn't his real sister.

…But she was still a person on her own.

 **N… No…**

His voice didn't belong to a Predator or a Primordial Lawmaker. It was the voice of a scared child who was told his dog needed to be put to sleep. He didn't want to understand, but reality was too cruel and forced its way into his mind. He would never see them again. He could never talk to them. He could never touch them.

He couldn't hold Ayame's hand as he walked her to school. He would never watch her grow up into a lady. He would be alone once more.

"She loved you, Ise-nii," Ayame said. Her shoulders trembled as the tears fell. She dropped her scythe as she brought her hands up in an attempt to clear her face. "She loved you. The real Ayame. She thought you were the greatest hero ever to the very end. I still think this. I-Ise-nii is… the best…"

His mind raced. Possibilities ran through his mind as he searched for them. That was his Law. He was [Potential]. He was [It Can Happen]. _Anything_ was possible and he was the Law that expressed it.

But while anything _can_ happen, it didn't guarantee it. He was only the thing that said it could happen. He was just a possibility. He was _potential._

For all his power… he couldn't find a way to save them. For every possibility he found that _might_ become true, he found ten others that put those down.

"She loved you too…" Amelia said. "But she was too afraid to open up to you. She wanted to fall in love with you… but was too scared. She feared she would steal you away from Asia… and wouldn't be loved in return. She chose to watch at a distance. She kept a photo album in her apartment, Master. She took pictures when you weren't looking."

The Vampire took a drag before swearing and tossing it aside. "Fucking shit. Getting all sentimental. You aren't as big of a pussy as you once were. The real me liked you; just wouldn't admit it. Oh, it's not like he thought you could be friends or anything. He still would have fucked up your life at the best chance. Only, he had _respect_ for you."

He continued to shake. He could pretend this Ayame was his sister. She could live with him, they grow up together, he help raise her, she be spoiled by him, they get into awkward positions around the house… things a normal brother and sister were supposed to do.

He could pretend this Amelia was still his Queen. He could keep asking for advice. She could keep rushing in at the last instance to save him from the girls at his house. She could fight alongside him in the Evensong. They could have their private chats about their duties as Predators. They could exchange stories and experiences. She could mentor him while he offered his shoulder to her.

He could even pretend the Vampire was still his archenemy. He could be a hero once more as he trained endlessly in hopes to be able to slay him. He could don the mantle of the Red Blur and face against monsters of all kind around the planet. He would do this to, one day, face against the Vampire in a climactic battle that would decide the fate of the world.

…He could.

All possibilities. All _potential._

But nothing more than promises without depth.

He made his decision.

It wasn't because they weren't real that he came to his decision. It was because he had moved on already.

He buried Hyoudou Ayame.

He made a plaque of Amelia Rosewood.

He vanquished the Vampire.

And… Sona was right. Someone like this couldn't just walk away. He was too powerful. His Law could revive Predators and manipulate them against their will. He was a Primordial Lawmaker that could replicate anything that has happened or will happen. He could have been a great asset in their fight against the Evensong.

…But [Chronicle] had chosen to side with the Khaos Brigade.

 **[Potential]… No! You can't do this! YOU CAN'T DO—**

Issei let out a bellow that was heard throughout all of Japan. The roar of a Dragon amplified by the properties of a Primordial Lawmaker was heard for every ear.

He brought his fist down onto [Chronicle's] head. It shattered.

His body dispersed like dust into the wind. He faded out of existence, returning to the Law seeped deep into the fabrications of the omniverse. His conscious self wouldn't return to this World for eons.

Within his peripheral vision, he saw Sona's chains shatter. They faded out of existence as well.

He heard the shattering behind him. He didn't dare to look at the emptiness that now resided there.

Issei's body changed. The Law of Potential sank back into his core as his physical form returned. His flesh was mended. Even his clothes had returned as clean and pressed as they were when he pulled them on this morning. He was at the peak of his stamina once more as though he had never fought through grit and grime to get this far.

…But he felt more exhausted than he had ever been.

Something warm trickled down his cheeks as he stared down at the spot where [Chronicle] once lay.

He felt something else. Something warm pressed itself against his back.

It was Sona.

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her head against his back. He could feel her shaking as she held him tight.

He wasn't sure if she was crying with him, for him, or for herself. All of the above, he could only guess.

He felt the air shift. [Twilight] had returned to being Tiamat just as he returned to being Hyoudou Issei. She chose wisely to remain quiet as she watched them both.

Pluto was nowhere to be seen. He could only guess she scurried away when her boss was just about done.

He lifted his hands to his waist, where Sona clutched around him tightly.

She found his hands and wove her fingers through his.

They remained like that for a long time. He didn't know for how long.

"Hey, Sona?"

"Hmm?"

"…I want to go home."

"…Yes… let's…"

0-0-0

There were things that needed to be taken care of before they could leave. Annoying and tedious things, but necessities.

Sona saw to it the remaining forces of her peerage were taken care of. She went in search of them after hearing where to go from Tiamat. Issei wanted to go with her but she declined.

The fighting had stopped. There were only a handful of Lawmakers remaining. Most of them had been slain in their duels; either by one victor or both sides defeating each other simultaneously.

He saw people he recognized… but he didn't fully acknowledge them.

He wanted to go home so badly it ached.

He was in his room gathering his things, surprised that it remained untouched in the first place, when there was a knock on his door.

Sona stepped inside, excusing herself.

"…Could you give us a minute?" she asked of Tiamat.

The blue Dragon nodded, being able to read the situation. Her face was a neutral mask as she rose out of her chair and made her way outside. She brushed by Sona briefly before stepping out.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Everyone survived and is in good health," she answered. "Predator Xi'Long saw to their safety and healed them of any injuries. She threw a crusade to rescue any bystanders caught in the chaos. The Youkai, those who followed the Lawmakers, my peerage, and such others. She really is remarkable. I'd never would have guessed underneath all that… innocence is an intuitive mind."

He shrugged at that, "I wouldn't know. I've never seen her in action. I've only heard about her in mention. She likes to blow things up."

Sona hesitated for a moment. "Yes… there was much of that. But she also repaired everything she damaged. Perhaps in better condition than it was originally."

He nodded. Now _that_ reflected off the stories he heard.

There was a long silence between them.

"I'm almost done…" he said just to find anything to talk about. "I still don't know what I did last night but… I can't leave the room like this. If you give me a few minutes I'll have it all cleaned."

"Here, let me help," she jumped in, just to find an excuse to be with him.

"Y-You don't have to do that."

"I insist."

"Really, Sona, you—"

"I _insist._ "

"O-Okay, okay," he put up his hands when she gave him _that_ glare. "Um… just gather all the bottles together?"

She nodded and went straight to work. Some of the bottles still contained contents. She used the bathroom sink to wash them down, somewhat sorrowful to be disposing of such spirits. But others she was content with watching them swash away.

After a few more moments of awkward silence, she let out a puff of air in frustration.

"Ise," she called out.

He stopped shoving things into his bag to look at her. "…Yeah?"

She faced straight ahead while he was at her right. She couldn't shrug it off now that she had gained his attention.

"…I've heard it from everyone else but you. I want to know something."

He waited patiently for her. With all the patience of someone who respected her with everything he had.

She didn't want to insult him. She faced him and met his gaze with hers.

"Are you in love with me?"

The question had taken him by surprise. He looked away for an instant. Only an instant; no more than a blink. He hesitated before looking squarely at her and stating firmly.

"I don't know."

She cocked a brow at him.

He sighed and scratched the back of his head, falling back into a nervous habit he had used countless times. "Sona, I think you're pretty. I've had this crush on you since we first met. You're really smart, brilliant really, and you have a level head. I think you're really impressive. I've only seen you stagger twice; and those were moments when I would have given up. You… You're much stronger than I am."

She looked away, fixing her glasses and muttering below her breath, "The Sona you're imagining is certainly incredulous."

"I… really do like you, Sona," he said slowly. "I would like to go on a date with you. I never asked because I knew you were afraid of me. Even when you shrugged that off and accepted me… I didn't want to ruin our friendship. And I still don't. You're the closest friend I have. I don't want to ruin that."

Now he looked so unsure of himself. He crossed his arms to look tough, but it was an imaginary shield.

For all his power… he was still just a teenage boy with doubts and uncertainties of his own.

"Ise…" she called out to him once again.

She closed the distance between them and put her hands on his arms, pulling them free to open up to her.

"I think we're beyond that point," she stated with a voice full of agitation. Like all those times he had gotten a poor mark on a test or he had returned from a raid without, oh, one of his arms. "You've already ruined my life."

She moved forward and pecked his lips.

It was sloppy for a first kiss. Her glasses got in the way and their noses bumped when she tried again. It had taken a third try for them to get it right.

But the sensation… it felt like an enormous burden had been removed off her heart.

"True Love…" she muttered below her breath. "Like in the fairy tales. It must work both ways…"

"…Huh?"

"Nothing," she sighed and pushed herself away.

She knew he heard him. She knew all about his draconian features, including his superhuman hearing. She silently thanked him he pretended to have not heard him.

…Or at least tried to. His cheeks were flaring as he looked away from her.

It was as close as a confession she was going to dare to try.

"Maybe… I do love you too…" he mumbled below his breath.

"Don't be such a prat," she scolded and fixed her skirt. Though, there was no point in it when it was already flawless due to her Devilry. Her face burned as she looked away from him.

"So… now what?" he asked.

It was a serious question. Indeed, now what? Where did this put them?

"I will be moving in," she stated immediately. And without argument.

"…Eh?" Issei blinked.

She glared at him, making him flinch. "Think about it, Ise. The enemy is still out there. You need me to be at your side at all times. Can you turn into a Lawmaker on your own? No. You will need my…"

Her face turned scarlet as she shut her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"M-My b-b-breasts…"

Damnation. She tried to not stutter.

She jabbed a finger in his direction before he could ruin the moment. "I am your Switch Princess and you are this… Oppai Dragon. Lucifer Almighty… that just sounds so ridiculous. But that's how it is, Ise. Do you understand? I am going to be moving into your house. You and I will be living together from here on out."

"Um… Sona?"

"What?"

"…Does this mean we're… dating?"

She tried to look in control like the personification he had glorified. It failed. She could feel her blush reach from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her neck.

"We must be together at all times…" she muttered, trying to not stutter again. "If that means we go out in social activities such as walking through the park, viewing the upcoming art gallery, hounding for udon shops, and shopping for clothes, then I suppose so. Yes, Ise, we're… d-dating…"

 _Blood_ and damnation! She was eighteen! EIGHTEEN! Why was she acting like this was her first school crush?!

…Because, really, it was.

"…Udon?" was all Issei questioned.

Sona chose to not answer. She folded her hands together while glimpsing over her shoulder to look at him. "I… want to know you better, Ise. We've only seen each other in an ugly light. I know you're not a rampaging Dragon. There is a gentle side to you. If you will have me, I would like to become a part of it."

He looked away, looking at the rest of the things he needed to pack. "Sona… regardless of what happens between us, whether we are dating or remain friends or… or we hate each other… I'm still going to fight for you in the Rating Game. Yeah, because Rolan is a _super_ dick. But also because you deserve to be happy. I think you should marry someone you really love. Even if it's not me."

He smiled at her. A genuine smile that was both warm and sad.

"I really do love you, Sona," he said without looking away. "I'm willing to go through anything for you."

She didn't blush this time. Instead, something warm filled her.

And… something equally cold chilled her.

"Then I will have to be there to make sure you don't do anything senseless," she retorted. "Just like always."

"Just like always," he repeated with a warmer smile.

"…Thank you, Ise," she said. "For trying. And for putting up with me."

He frowned slightly. "Sona… I'm the one who should be saying that. I put you through—"

She put up a hand to cut him off. She shook her head a few times. "Let me have this, Ise. I owe you more than you think."

He said nothing, only watching her carefully.

"I think you can manage the rest…" she stated while looking around. What she had come for was complete and lingering any longer was going to ruin the mood. "If you will excuse me, I will be gathering my things in my room. Let's meet up again in the hallway. I'll wait for you."

And she did.

Half an hour later he met up with her in the hallway. She was by herself with a rolling suitcase at her side. Her eyes met his and she gave him a small smile.

He didn't bother to look for Richard or Rolan. He didn't want to deal with anything regarding the duties of a Predator. All he wanted to do was go home.

Tiamat opened a Dragon Gate for them. Sona wouldn't be able to cross it on her own as it was something only the likes of Dragons could pass.

…It was the perfect excuse to hold her hand the whole way through. She never argued.


	16. Butterflies and Hurricanes

**AN:** It's been a while, hasn't it?

The last thing I posted was my version of the Kyoto arc. I'd like to comment on that real quick.

Originally, as in as far back as EtD, the Kyoto arc was supposed to have Issei rescue Yasaka by battling the Hero Faction. Red was still there, being their defacto leader or something like that, and he and Issei were supposed to have a total brawl in his Queen mode.

Oh, and regards to Adams McCain, he was originally supposed to be Mil-tan. I shit you not. He was supposed to be this super creepy customer that kept hiring Issei for the strangest of tasks, only to reveal himself as the ultimate villain all along. I suppose the idea MIGHT have worked. But it was so silly when writing it down I decided to just introduce the Synthesis canon version.

Now, I haven't updated this story because I had hit a wall. I knew exactly what I was aiming for but didn't know how to get there. By this point, if you've stuck around this long, you understand that I'm going to have Issei and Rolan fight at some point. Hell, if you read Broken Rules, you know this is going to happen. My problem was trying to figure out how to get from the Kyoto arc to there.

Granted, I also got terribly distracted with new projects. Like five of them. But I will never give up on the Dragoon series. It is my absolute favorite, only rivaled by Broken Rules. Both of which I will be greatly sad and satisfied when they are complete.

I would also like to mention this part of the story is nearing its conclusion. Hopefully not too long, though we all know how that goes with my average word count per chapter. I plan on it ending after the Rating Game and then picking up again just like how I shifted between EtD and StD.

StD. The title still makes me laugh. Thank you Casey for this suggestion.

Last, in regards to this chapter. The first scene is generally a recap of what happened in the past arc to refresh readers. If, SOMEHOW, you remember what's happening, feel free to skip it. It doesn't include Issei and features Rolan.

And we all know how much you people hate the little turd. Me, personally, I love him. But he's still a turd.

That's enough of a note. Thank you everyone who has anticipated (and harassed me) for the continuation of this story.

Now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

* * *

"There you are," Rolan turned around once he heard the door open. The person who entered had no signature his Acolyte abilities could detect. It was something only the likes of a Tactical Hunter could pull off. Therefore…

Predator Philips checked his perimeter before fully entering the room. He then checked outside the hallway before shutting the door. And, even then, he checked his surroundings once more while positioning himself against the wall and to not leave any openings or blind spots.

"Have the Reapers been fully expunged?" Rolan began with an expectant tone.

"My Dawn Blades have dealt with the majority of them," Philips reported. "They began to surrender after they realized their master was defeated. I executed them. The rest have fled back into the Underworld. I expect you to deal with them."

Rolan scowled a little deeper. It would have been great to have a few Reapers as Dawn or Dusk Blades. Or at least imprisoned for interrogation. But it didn't matter at this point, he supposed. If they were behaving this way then Hades was truly dead.

"Did you know he was back?" Philips did not ask. He did not demand. It was an accusation.

"I should have," Rolan growled. His head lowered slightly as he recalled the last instance Adams McCain existed in this realm. "I can't think of when he could have reappeared. There's no doubt it's him. He learned from our last engagement. He learned how to craft Sun Spheres just by being exposed to the one I used against him. I'm going to assume he knows how to replicate the Abyssal Work of Betrayal as well."

Philips said nothing as the jargon flew over his head. He had been dead before Rolan could make his last stand against the fallen [SERAPH].

"Do you know what the absolutely ideal place to hide is?" Rolan asked suddenly.

Philips was silent for a moment. The only indication he had heard the question was the slight tilt of his head. "You Acolytes hide like rats in the filth of the world. But you learned. You chose to hide in plain sight. You pretended to be human. It was why the Researchers were more difficult to find than the Observatory."

"Adams hid in plain sight the first time he was around," Rolan pointed out. "He created Sinner Tech and was like the Bill Gates of our World. He didn't do that this time. He didn't hide in the first or last place any of us would have looked. He hid in the second to last place."

Philips eyed him in his stalwart silence.

"He hid in the shadow of Ophis," Rolan explained. "We thought Ophis was our enemy. We thought we were fighting against her and a few noteworthy beings she scraped up. The Khaos Brigade has been nothing but a huge smokescreen."

"So while we have been chasing after the Brigade…" Philips placed his hands on his hips— dangerously close to his holstered weapons, Rolan noted. "…that monster has been scheming around us? We played his game. That is why we are losing. But, now that we know, we can better organize."

"It doesn't work that way," Rolan growled again. "He revealed himself to us. He created the Hunters to counter us. And he turned most of the Primordials against me. He doesn't need to hide from us anymore. His plan has advanced so far he can move on the offensive now."

Behind his helm, Philips frowned further.

"…We need to accelerate our plans," Rolan stated.

"You would choose a Devil?" Philips snarled. "I had thought you had gained a lick of humanity, Rolan. Why would you choose a monster over—"

"Over what?" Rolan snapped. "A _human_? One of the most corrupt beings in existence? Something so vile they're the reasons why the Abyss exists in the first place? Artemis, I would rather pick a tuna sandwich over a human being."

"We are trying to save our World," Philips shook his head with his face twisting in disgust. "Not condemn it further. A Devil is a creature of sin. It is evil by existing! Give something like that the power to rule over the World and imagine what it could do!"

"I am the Ruler of the World," Rolan countered in a cold and sharp tone. "I am one of those monsters you despise so much, Artemis. I have made my choice.

"You and I don't have the luxury to argue either way. We'll be gone by the time the Evensong happens. The only way to promise we'll be there for the fight is if Adams breaks the last of the seals before the expected time."

"…Then you're giving up," Philips stated.

"Everything I have been doing from this point has been to give this World a fighting chance!" Rolan snarled with his Aura flaring. "Remember the past three years, Artemis. We have created new Predators where our predecessors said couldn't be done. That no Predator can be made willingly by their own desire or by that of another."

"We also lost some," Philips countered. "The Vampire, the Dragon Slayer, and the Divine Beast."

There was a very human reaction from Rolan at the mention of the Divine Beast Predator. His brow twitched as he forced himself to suppress a wince.

It should have been impossible for someone like him, whose body was nothing more than a corpse he occupied. His body had long been dead with the essences of the Shadow of the Ocean and the Shadow of the Planet keeping it preserved and empowered. Being reincarnated into a Devil hadn't changed this fact when he had been dead too long.

He also didn't have a Quantum Identity Cortex— that which determined what existed and how according to the Laws of the omniverse. Rolan, strictly speaking, did not exist.

And yet, he very much felt pain at the reminder of Amelia Rosewood's death. With pain came anger, sorrow, and regret.

…All these years and he never told her how much he loved her.

"We underestimated our enemy," Rolan said in a tired voice. He leaned against his desk as he rubbed a few fingers against his brow. "It's forced us to take a few steps back. But we can't afford to be hindered by it. We need to recover what we lost and move forward."

"There is… news," Philips chose to say in a careful tone.

"Yeah, I don't know how to take that," Rolan spoke up in a heavily sarcastic tone. "Good or bad?"

"It is news," Philips shrugged. "The man in red was there again."

"The same one who Galahad was talking to that spotted you?"

"Yes. He wasn't assisting Hades or McCain. He was not supervising them nor were they giving him orders. He was… just there. Perhaps as extra muscle should any of us interfere."

"Adams doesn't need a bodyguard," Rolan stated. "That fuck-off Mark on his brow does it for him. Damn thing can bitch slap you before you even do anything. Did you see anything before he kicked your ass?"

"He didn't," Philips retorted, making Rolan blink once. "He did see me. But, I believe he disregarded me as a threat to him or their cause. And he was not wrong. I decided to watch in concealment. He did not alert Hades or McCain of my presence."

"McCain has a Sun Sphere…" Rolan muttered in a low voice. "He should have been able to see through your _Radiance of the Sun._ He probably thought you were nothing too. Kinda like the rest of us. Then does this mean you saw what he did to Ophis?"

Philips took note the twinge in his voice. It was the same as he had used once the Divine Beast had been mentioned a moment before.

"I don't know what he did," Philips confessed. "He used a gauntlet to capture her. She tried to fight. His Mark kept her in place. I saw her stretch all of her wings— the same as Hyoudou's… Gift of Flight. But, one after another, they vanished. I think McCain was stealing them."

Rolan was still for a moment. It was an inhuman stillness that no other creature alive could replicate. Even statues failed to achieve this. It was as though Rolan had grown still to time and reality itself in this instance.

"Is Ophis dead?" Rolan asked in a low voice.

There was a myriad of emotions in that tone. Excitement and relief in knowing an enemy they could never hope to defeat was gone. Fear and guilt in knowing someone he loved as much as any other in his life had slipped through his reach once again.

"She's alive," Philips said in a neutral tone, studying Rolan's expression clinically. "Hyoudou, phantoms of the Vampire and the Divine Beast Hades created, his dragon companion, and my father intercepted him before the last of her wings could be stolen. My father fled with Ophis before Adams could pursue."

Rolan didn't respond for a few seconds.

"I see," he said eventually. He looked away from Philips and chose to stare straight ahead. His mind accessed the archives of the World only the Ruler could read. "Hyoudou isn't dead. He's currently back home… with Sona. That's good. I'm glad _something_ came right from this horrendous fuck-up. How did they escape?"

It was Philips' turn to be quiet. It lasted long enough for Rolan to turn his head and fully observe him.

Philips' posture had an unpleasant and twisted look. His fingers tapped in rhythm against his right holster while his head was bowed.

"…It's complicated," Philips half-answered while looking away for the first time.

Rolan spread his hands and gave Philips a flat look. "The fuck am I supposed to do with that? What? Do you need some space? It's not you, it's me? Are you seeing someone else?"

Philips glowered at him.

"Don't start using some line like some teenage virgin," Rolan grumbled. "We're in the middle of something that _literally_ decides the fate of the planet. I need as much information on the enemy as I can so to make a better plan around them. I can't do that if you withhold anything vital."

"…It's ridiculous," Philips said in a reluctant tone.

"Try me," Rolan said back.

Philips was silent a little longer until he came to terms with himself. He shrugged, crossed his arms, and began to tell Rolan everything that had happened since Hyoudou and his party had stormed Adams' makeshift workshop.

He told him about how Richard Royals challenged Adams McCain with the Clockwork Spine— a weapon only the likes of his true self, King Arrixam Lalassu, could wield. This meant… Arrixam had been able to gain one of those impossibly rare moments of clarity from his madness.

He told him how Hyoudou had challenged the man in red, whom Hades had called King, and therefore, Hyoudou had challenged a figment of the Great Red. And Hyoudou had won.

Before Rolan could ask _how_ , Philips put up a hand and continued his story. He added one last important piece to the tale.

Hyoudou had been able to hurt Adams McCain. The Mark could not touch him.

Rolan didn't ask anything for a moment. There was only one way to be able to bypass the Mark. Only through an act of True Love, something only found in the most romantic of stories and never in reality, could overpower the counterattack of the Mark.

Snowball, Rolan's daughter, had willingly used herself as a sacrifice the last time McCain was around. That was how they were able to stop Project Ziz and kill McCain.

"Didn't you say not even Ophis could touch McCain?" Philips asked. "You pleaded with her before to eject him since that was the best she could do. Hyoudou is another one of those gods, like Ophis. He transformed after… Never mind that. Is it his… power that allowed him to overcome McCain?"

"True Love…" Rolan muttered below his breath. He crossed his arms and bowed his head in thought. He remained quiet as the story replayed in his mind. He could almost see the actual events unfold.

He smiled. And he began to laugh.

"Philips," Rolan gradually returned to his hardened expression. "It's True Love. The same thing that allows Louise to see through your _Radiance._ But for it to be found within Hyoudou and Sona…? I don't think you understand how ridiculous this is."

"…Enlighten me," Philips countered.

"There are seven billion humans on the planet," Rolan began. "Eleven billion beings altogether exist here. Finding the perfect soulmate is a basic one in eleven billion chance. No, it's even less than that. There's no guarantee the current generation meets any of the requirements to match you perfectly. If you didn't have Louise, your True Love could have been either a thousand years ago or somewhere in the future. Or, they could be on an entirely different World, not current, and in their past or future. It's less of a needle in a haystack as it is a needle in the _omniverse_."

Philips was quiet as he mulled over the example.

"…For his soul to be perfectly aligned with a Devil…" he began with an obviously disgusted tone. He didn't try to hide it. "He's too much. To be drawn to their appeal is understandable. But to fall in love with one of these… animals? Sickening."

"This is probably bestiality to you, isn't it?" Rolan muttered in a dry tone.

"This is more marriage to his fleshlight. Disapproving to use, but acceptable on occasion. But to have feelings for it? For it to be his one-true chosen significant other across the universe? I don't understand."

"It's love," Rolan offered with a shrug. "Besides, I don't think those two fucked yet. You can't really call her a fleshlight. Maybe, I don't know, one of those figurines he builds and paints?"

He could feel Philips' eyes bore into him behind his faceless Tactical Hunter helm.

"Sona is still alive, isn't she?" Rolan asked. It was more of a rhetorical question considering he had just used his authority to check on her and Hyoudou. "How was Hyoudou able to defeat Hades and Adams with her? What did they do to grant him True Love?"

Philips didn't respond.

"…They didn't fuck, did they?" Rolan asked with his brows falling low enough to cover half his vision. "And Adams let them? Right then and there?"

"It… would have made more sense if they did," Philips answered with great reluctance. He inhaled, held his breath, and then exhaled with exhaustion seeping through his body language.

"Artemis," Rolan called out in a sharp voice. "I kinda need to know. I need to know if this is something that can happen again. If we can use this against Adams or if this was a one-time thing."

He heard a grunt coming from Philips.

"There… was a prophecy from these gods," Philips began. He tilted his head while his fingers were tapping against his holster again. "They said it was why Ddraig and Albion fought. Hyoudou assumed Ddraig's role. They called him…"

Another inhale, pause, and exhale.

"…The Oppai Dragon."

Rolan and Philips exchanged a look. Neither one of them said anything. Rolan went absolutely still while some of the lights on Philip's helm flickered. They remained where they stood for a full minute.

"…What?" was all Rolan could say through narrowed eyes and a flat tone.

0-0-0

"Ugh," was the first thing Issei said once he stepped into the… third(?) foyer. Or was this the second? He couldn't tell. But that wasn't the reason of his groaning.

Tiamat looked over her shoulder with her calculating gaze. She knew why he was groaning and was looking at him with pity but mostly disappointment. She still believed his duty in life was a hobby he willingly picked up _for fun._

"What's wrong?" Sona asked at his side.

He was just relieved she was holding his hand the entire trip through the Dragon Gate. His draconian senses mixed in with the innate ability of the Gift of Seduction soothed his mind. He was able to read Sona's emotions and tell her worries were genuine.

It felt truly wonderful to have her like this. It felt more than having pieces of barbed wire binding around his heart finally removed. It felt like she was cradling his heart against her chest and offering her own warmth.

"The World," he answered. His voice sounded more on edge than he had intended. He couldn't help it. "We're back home and out of that weird field that negated my Predator perks."

"So now the cognitive intelligence of the World is invading your mind?" Sona asked with a raised brow.

"That… and I'm angry again," he grumbled and rubbed the back of his head with his other hand. "It feels like I can't catch a break. You know, out of the frying pan and into the fire?"

The World was a colossal douche. It was the system that processed _all_ objects functioning within the universe. And, as a Predator, as a defender of the planet assigned by the Ruler of the World, Issei was bombarded with a number of things to ensure he was able to function his role with the highest efficiency.

Meaning, he knew when anything and everything was going to harm him. From him stumbling over uneven flooring to a giant meteor from space on a collision course with Earth. He was also made aware of everyone within the vicinity, all of their intentions, how high of a danger-threat they were towards him, and, most importantly, _how to get rid of them._

There were a couple other perks and sub-clauses that came with it. But the most annoying _perk_ , if it can be called that, was what Amelia had called 'the Predator's mindset'.

Whatever he was feeling when he became a Predator was how he was going to feel so long as he was connected to the World.

When he became a Predator, he had rampaged and slaughtered a group of Fallen Angels and Rouge Exorcists. He felt hatred for what they had done and wanted to murder them in the name of vengeance.

He was feeling that now. He felt the itch at the back of his throat to reach out to someone, anyone, regardless of their morality alignment and innocence, and let their blood wash his hands.

"I'm fine," he said after a moment. Sona was watching him carefully. "Honestly, I am. I'm used to it now. I have it completely under control. See?"

He put up a smile and held her hand a little tighter. His strength could have crushed it into pulp and dust. Instead, he was gentle enough to prove to her that, no matter how bloodthirsty he was, he would never do anything to harm her.

Not so long ago, this had terrified her. Sona always knew what he was and knew what he could do. She knew she was powerless against him and their relationship had been one of fear.

That was then.

Now, she returned the squeeze and offered a small smile. Her eyes were concerned, but understanding and patient. She was going to be with him no matter what and work with him through whatever burdens he was going to face.

"Oh my," the voice of Akeno announced her presence as she entered the room. "Back so soon? We were expecting you to be gone the entire weekend. Or a full week. Welcome back, Ise-kun."

The Queen was dressed in a light blue casual dress with a short skirt. Issei couldn't help but stare at her cleavage of her milky skin. She knew he was staring, he knew she knew, and she cupped her hands together at her front to press her arms against her breasts. They did things to give him a better show.

"The pervert is still a pervert," Koneko said as she followed after Akeno into the room. "Nothing changes. Welcome back, Ise-sempai."

Bwah! Koneko was dressed in a t-shirt, jean shorts, and stockings. She wore a cap with cat ears on the top. She was the cutest thing Issei had ever seen!

"…I feel like I should hit you," Koneko's words were as piercing as her eyes.

"Ah ha…" Issei cackled once and faced them. "Hi, Nee-san, Koneko-chan. I'm home. I… didn't think to call ahead. Things happened…"

The two had missed the drop in his tone as well as how much he was forcing himself to keep up the smile. They were so used to him pretending with his emotions due to the Predator's mindset they had assumed he was doing the same. All they could do was come to their own conclusions.

"Oh… we've noticed," Akeno said with a whimsical smile. She put a hand to her cheek, tilted her head slightly, and her eyes traced between Issei and Sona.

Specifically, she was looking at their holding hands.

"T-This is…" Sona blushed and looked away. She fixed her glasses in an attempt to hide her appearance. But, all the while, she never let go.

Issei, meanwhile, was frozen in place. Cold sweat flashed through him as soon as Koneko's eyes flickered towards their hands. Her eyes moved back up to his and the feeling of dread washed over him.

The last time they had talked… she had demanded he stop adding girls to the harem. Hardly a few days had gone by and he had broken that promise.

"…Finally," Koneko said after giving a single blink.

"I couldn't agree more," Akeno added.

"Eh?" Issei blinked in reply. "Um… Koneko-chan? You're not mad?"

Koneko stared at him with a question in her eyes.

"Y-You know… about having… more?" he struggled to find the right words.

Also, he was smacking himself inside his head. _Why_ was he asking for trouble as soon as he got back home? He wasn't a masochist (probably) so why was he doing stupid things he knew Koneko would get mad at him for?!

He should have listened to the World.

It was telling him nothing was wrong.

"Oh, that?" Koneko gave another blink. "There was always a spot open for Sona-kaichou. We just didn't know when she was going to join."

"Do I want to know what exactly I inducted myself into?" Sona asked through narrowed eyes. She shot an accusing look at Issei.

"Why, Sona, I thought you knew Ise-kun the most!" Akeno gushed. "Surely you must know it's his dream to have a harem. He's already claimed all of us. And let me repeat that. He's already claimed _all_ of _us._ "

She let out a series of giggles while a dark aura surrounded her. She said the last part while looking at Issei directly. She was still sour over what he had done the night before leaving. And she wasn't going to let it down anytime soon.

A new wave of cold sweat flashed through Issei. By this point he was trembling.

"So it's grown beyond Rias and Argento-san…" Sona released a breath that was almost a sigh. She fixed her glasses once more, holding the frame while she thought, and regarded the other two Devils once more. "It changes nothing. I always knew Ise had… an appetite. So long as he takes responsibilities for his discretions I have no reason to back down. However… there will be things we will need to discuss, Ise."

"…Y-Yes," he said with a nervous smile.

He knew that tone of voice. It was the one when she promised another one of her… lectures.

"You should go with them," Sona said next. She gave his hand one last squeeze before stepping away. "I need to contact my peerage to make sure they returned home safely. And I need to get in contact with my sister and report what happened in Kyoto. Do you mind if I use this room?"

"No!" he blurted out. "Go right ahead! I mean… Sona, you don't need to ask me for permission for anything."

He was flustered. His cheeks were reddening. He didn't know why he was acting like this as though she were his first girlfriend. He behaved similarly with Raynare on their date.

It was mild fear. He didn't know how to treat her now that they were a thing. He was afraid the smallest mistake would have him lose her.

Sona saw straight through to him. Her brows lifted with harmless accusation. "Perhaps, but it is still polite. Go on and see to everyone else. I'm sure they'd all want to hear what happened as well. I will join you when I am done. Please excuse me for now. Lady Tiamat, thank you for escorting us back home as well as your assistance before. I and my peerage am in your debt."

"It was Ddraig who asked me," Tiamat spoke up. She had been silent while she watched the interaction between Issei and the girls. Her eyes were dull but amused as though she had been watching a television rerun.

With that, Sona bowed to Tiamat, stepped away from the group, and began to craft a communications spell in her hand.

"Where is everybody else?" Issei asked.

He knew exactly where everyone was. Just thinking about them was more than enough for the World to tell him. But he asked anyways to keep the sense of normality as well as to converse with the two girls he admired greatly.

"Hmm?" Akeno snapped out of a daydream after watching the two of them act like a newlywed couple. "Oh. Asia-chan and… those other two went with the Knights of the Round on a grocery run. Personally I think they did just to get out of the house. It can be a little stuffy after a while."

"Buchou is training," Koneko spoke up. "She's with Sairoarg-san and Kiba-sempai in the basement."

"But before that," Akeno cut in. "Ise-kun, you have a guest."

"Wait, what?" Issei blinked. His anger almost slipped through because of the surprise.

The World wasn't telling him about this. Someone was in the house that his Predator's senses couldn't detect?

"She arrived at our doorstep not too long ago," Akeno went on. "I understand things are a little tense, but Kiba-kun and Cali-chan already checked her out. She's practically harmless. She said she wanted to talk to you as soon as you came home. It's how we knew you were going to show up here."

Yuuto and Excalibur used their Predator senses to evaluate the guest's threat level? But if Issei couldn't sense her presence then so too couldn't they. It meant, still being knew to the Predator senses and all, they believed her lack of presence might have been misinterpreted as _harmless_.

Those who could hide their presence well enough were the greatest threats.

"Where is she?" Issei demanded in a hardened tone.

The tension in his voice caused the girls to misunderstand. Tiamat continued to observe the engagement. Sona looked over her shoulder with the magic circle still connected to one of her Pieces.

"We left her in the sitting room, for now," Akeno answered slowly. "The one by the front entrance for immediate guests. I'll take you to her—"

"Stay here," he told them both. Already he was moving. "Don't go anywhere until I come back. I don't know who this person is and I can't sense anything about her. She might have tricked that damn handsome. Tiamat, can you stay here just in case—"

"Tia-nee," the blue dragon corrected with an icy glare.

"…Excuse me?" Akeno's attention shifted.

"It's for your protection," Issei tried to explain. "I'm asking if Tiamat— I mean, if Tia-nee can stay here just in case—"

"Never mind that," Akeno's tone turned just as icy as Tiamat's. "I could have sworn my title as the beloved older sister was just challenged."

"It is no challenge when it has been mine all along," Tiamat shot back. "I have known Ddraig eons before the planet was molded, _hatchling_."

"I've known Ise-kun before you were in the picture, _Obaa-san_ ," Akeno retorted with her signature smile.

Tensions rose. Demonic energy clashed against draconian essence. A deep haze started to shroud the two of them as neither of them refused to back down.

"…You should go while they're distracted," Koneko suggested.

"Do not worry, Ddraig," Tiamat said while her eyes never left Akeno. "I will stay and watch your… overstuffed hug pillow."

Shots fired. The World was starting to warn him about the approaching storm of destruction that was Akeno.

"Well, it would be rude of me to not treat such an _experienced_ guest with my well-known and revered hospitality," Akeno cackled back. "Tiamat-obaasan, would you like some tea, some death, or something to snack on? We have all those things."

Sona was giving him a look. She wasn't going to help him. It was his problem and he should manage the situation. It was _his_ house and _his_ romantic interest.

"Koneko-chan is in charge while I'm gone," he stepped around and lifted Koneko around as though she weighed nothing. He placed her between the two. "I'm going to be upset if you two don't listen to her!"

"Don't worry, Ise-sempai," Koneko lifted her head to look up at him. "I have this under control. You can count on me."

"Thanks," he said while offering a gratuitous smile.

The tension in the room started to dwindle after that.

Seeing as things were under control as she said, Issei hurried out of the room to find this mystery guest.

Koneko looked back at the doorway Issei left, counted a few seconds, and then went back to the two.

"Rules," she announced, lifting a finger per each instruction. "No going for the hair or face. No permanent damage. And nothing escapes this room. Have at it."

"…And please mind the noise," Sona offered while she began another spell to contact another one of her peerage members.

Heads nodded in agreement. The catfight commenced.

0-0-0

"FINALLY!" she shouted. She had been sprawled across the couch as though having waiting beyond the point of boredom. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting here?! Arry's already updated, like, five other stories! I've been here since JULY! Of 2016!"

"…It's 2008," Issei commented. He didn't know why he did.

The Planetary Representative Pluto flipped herself over into a sitting position on the sofa. She wasn't in her Reaper attire as she had been dressed hardly a few hours ago when last he saw her. She was dressed in a black dress… that was indescribable.

It was strange. He couldn't pay attention to what sort of dress she was wearing. It might have had something to do with her authority as an… Original, if he remembered correctly that's what she was.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. He crossed the room and shoved the small table in front to the side with his foot. He crossed his arms and towered over her. Some of his draconian essence leaked out, making his skin turn into scales and his eyes turn green.

"Waiting for you," she said, kicking her feet off the edge of the sofa in rhythm.

His eyes narrowed as he let more of his energy leak out. It started to make the loose furnishings and decorations rattle.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you," he said, draconic flames spitting between his teeth. "You were with Hades. You knew Ayame and Amelia were both fakes, didn't you? You were working with the Brigade— working with a madman that's bringing the end of my home."

"I don't actually think you can," she said, more to herself than to him. She tilted her head, looked away with puzzlement, and tapped a small finger on her chin. "According to Arry's horrendously convoluted and misguided lore, I don't think a Primordial Lawmaker _can_ kill an Original. Even when you're of the highest rank of yours while I'm the lowest rank of mine. Beat me? Sure. But kill? Impossible.

"And it's up to Arry whether Vorpal can or can't," she waved her hand with a displeased glower on her face. "It's literally an asspull at this point. Even he doesn't know what exactly it is. But that's not the point. I'm not here to pick a fight with you. The opposite, in fact!"

He tensed. He wasn't going to believe her intentions. He readied himself anyways.

Without warning, she leapt off the couch… and hugged his legs.

"Please, please, please give me a job!" she begged, tears threatening to fall. "You sent my last boss back to the Essential Realm! Before payday! I'm literally living off of the kindness of others and it's disgusting! My bank accounts are dried up and the only thing I own right now are the clothes on my back! I can't feed myself and Arry refuses to go back to Throne of Shirou!"

"What? No!" he outright rejected. He shook his leg, trying to get her off. She refused to budge. "You were with the enemy. You would have brought the end of all things. I didn't see you do it, but Hades said you had a hand in that last encounter. Sona's life was threatened and you had a part in it."

"The enemy! Yes!" she leapt at an opportunity. "Do you really want to kick me out? I was [Chronicle's] personal secretary and aficionado. His hands were pretty deep in that Outsider's pockets. I know everything he did! Do you _really_ want to kick me to the curb?!"

Issei stopped. Her words struck a chord through him. He knew next to nothing about the Khaos Brigade. Rolan probably knew something but it wasn't likely the turd was going to share unless to use Issei in another one of his schemes. This might be his only chance to learn everything he could about the enemy and figure out a plan.

"…You're insane," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Says the weeaboo-human-Primordial crossbreed experiment," she retorted.

"Do you really think that's enough?" he countered with his anger returning. The blunder caused by her offer was only a minor distraction. "You were helping someone who is trying to destroy the planet. You helped cause mayhem in that assembly. And you wouldn't have cared if Sona got hurt."

"I heard you the first time," she said with a bored expression. She huffed as she plopped back down onto the couch. She was small enough to where her feet couldn't touch the floor. She ended up crossing her legs and stroking her hair like a dignified princess gracing him with the pleasure of her company.

"I don't think you have much of a choice," she said, speaking in a soft yet ageless voice only someone like Tiamat and Ophis could match. The voice belonging to a higher being. "Weeaboo-chan, if you're going to be a Predator, you need my help. I know all about the factions within the Khaos Brigade. I know what that Outsider is planning. _And_ , I know how Arry is going to end this story."

"…I don't know who that is," Issei said while the rest of her words swam around in his head.

"Some shut-in loser who still lives with his parents," she swore with enough venom to make Issei hesitate asking further.

"I can get all the information I need from Rolan," Issei bartered. "He is the Ruler of the World. He has been fighting against them longer than I have. He was the one who defeated Adams from what I've been told."

"The Ferret's Chew Toy?!" Pluto spat out with laughter. Issei could hear the capital letters in those words as though they held authority. "If he knew everything you need, he wouldn't have had to turn you into a Predator in the first place. He could have wiped them all out on his own. You and I both know you guys are on the losing end."

Issei didn't have a comment. The beast at the edge of the World was what drove Rolan into desperation. The end of all things forced him to abuse the Predator System and create new defenders of the planet. If he was able to defeat them so easily… Issei would still be a normal teenager.

"Besides, Chase _can't_ defeat that Outsider a second time," Pluto spoke with a sharp and clinical tone. "Do you even know how he did it the first time?"

"…No," Issei admitted. "I heard the story about Project Ziz, though. Adams McCain created an Anti-Predator machine and nearly destroyed the World. The machine was eventually defeated and its creator killed."

"With that Mark, that Outsider can't be touched," Pluto informed. "No force in this plane of existence and the next _five_ can't break through it. The strongest Originals can't overpower it. The dankness of the Abyss can't corrupt it. So how do you think Chase killed someone who can't be touched?"

Issei was quiet. He didn't know much about Adams McCain. But from personal experience, from being exposed to the Laws that governed that Mark on his brow, he knew what it was capable of doing. Any and all damage sought onto Adams would backfire threefold. Any. When Issei had the desire to punch him, the Mark was going to hit him before he could initiate the strike.

But his blow landed. Because…

"True Love?" Issei asked. He thought about the implications. "You mean… Rolan had… a lover once?"

"That guy is the harem protagonist of his own story," Pluto waved a hand as though something smelled foul. "He had _lovers_. Course, not a single one of them ended in a happy ending. But you are right about the first thing. True Love! The stuff straight out of fairy tales! He had some of that and it knocked that Outsider into a lower plane."

Issei chose to ignore the fact the biggest douche in existence had a harem before him.

"Who was it?" he asked instead. He loathed to find the answer but needed to ask for his own sanity. "Leviathan-san? Or… Amy?"

It couldn't have been Serafall. He shook his head. Their relationship was one-sided with Rolan trying to get her attention and she giving him the cold shoulder. She hated him anyways for the amount of problems he brought onto Sona.

But Amelia was the more likely candidate. They had a history together; a history Issei never pried into and would never learn now. However, Amelia always had a soft spot reserved just for Rolan. It was more of a sensitive nerve that agitated her whenever he was around. The constantly stoic Divine Beast Predator could break through her mindset of tranquility just for him.

Something had _definitely_ happened between the two.

"No, actually," Pluto said, leaning forward and resting an elbow against her knee and cupping her cheek. She looked bored again. "The True Love came from his daughter."

"…Rolan has a daughter?" Issei blinked with disbelief. "Wait. Does that mean this kind of power can only be used _once_?!"

Did he seriously just miss his chance in saving the entire World?!

"Don't know," she shrugged. "Arry isn't very specific on the details. He only says it's the ultimate cheat code against anything he designed. I think so long as the source remains and the love is mutual, True Love will always be accessible. The thing you have with that Devil girl is still pretty potent. Urk. I can _feel_ the newlywed off of you."

"Wait…" Issei blanched as he realized something else. "Y-You mean… with his _daughter_?!"

"NO YOU SICKO!" she screamed and stood up… on his couch. Even then she wasn't tall enough to look at him straight in the face. "True Love exists through all forms! Haven't you ever read a book?! Don't answer that. _His_ little miracle came from the bond between father and daughter. What is with you Japanese and your incestuous fetishes? And I thought Arry was bad enough for being a total pedo…"

He was relieved to know an innocent little girl wasn't defiled by the brown turd.

"I don't get it then," he admitted while crossing his arms and shrugging. "You said he can't do it again. Why not? Is… is his daughter dead or something?"

"Hesitance, I think," Pluto said with a dispassionate voice. "The last time, Chase was forced to sacrifice his own daughter to stop that Outsider."

Issei's eyes widened.

Rolan… had to kill his own daughter?

"How the _fuck_ is that True Love?" Issei snarled with his power slipping out once more. He didn't think it was possible to despise Rolan any further.

"Because it's _mutual_ ," Pluto huffed with her hands on her hips. She was unfazed by his draconian aura. "There's a lot more to the story. I'm not gonna bother with it. The point is I know everything you don't. You need me to fill in the gaps! I bet you don't even know _how_ to access [Potential] again, do you?"

"All I need is Sona," he shot back. "I don't trust you. For all I know, you could still be working with the enemy. What makes you think I'm going to let you anywhere near those I love?"

"You killed my boss!" she shouted, slamming a foot down onto the cushion and throwing her arms back like a child. "I'm unemployed! I'm living off of food stamps and dorming up inside Arry's skull! I can't stay in there! If I have to hear _another_ stupid idea about some OC _nobody_ gives a shit about getting another harem, I'm going to lose my mind! Case and point: Castling! Nobody even knows what that is!"

He put a hand up to his temple. He didn't know how to deal with this girl. There was no doubt at all she was a higher being. Her presence alone was transcendently more enriching than anything naturally found on this planet. It was as though reality itself parted to make room for her.

Yet, she was acting like a child. If she really was the highest ranking of being— one of these Originals that overruled the Primordial Lawmakers like himself— then she was either fooling him with this façade… or spoiled beyond human comprehension.

"I don't trust you," he said finally. "I can't trust the information you might provide. You could be tricking me for all I know. I'm done believing every little thing I hear."

"W-What?" she fumbled where she stood and fell onto her rear. "Didn't you hear what I just said?! I have information! I have secrets on the guys who are trying to destroy your home! You don't even want to listen?!"

"No, not from you," he said in a firm voice. "It's only been a few hours since then. Did you really think I'd forget everything you've done so soon?"

He stared down at her. His gaze was unflinching.

"Hey, come on," she pleaded, sliding off of the couch to approach him. "I really need this. I gotta eat too! And aren't you supposed to be the protector of the planet? You're supposed to be the good guy! You're supposed to be the Red Blur! You can't just kick this adorable little girl out into the cold—"

His hand lashed out and cupped over her mouth.

Within his grip, he could _feel_ how much power she wielded. No amount of physical strength could move her. It felt as though he had grabbed onto an immovable object wedged directly into the fabric of reality. No force on the mortal plane could make Pluto bend against her will.

Yet, it was the promise in his eyes that got her to shut up. He could feel the understanding resonating through her core. She knew she had overstepped.

He let his hand drop. From direct contact with her did he learn he didn't have the power to make her do anything. Not as he was now. If he could access the Law of Potential once more, then surely. But not now with the powers of Ddraig.

He let his hand drop because there was no point in using physical force. He didn't need to use any, anyhow. The message was delivered and she understood it fully.

"If you are as informed as I think you are," he began in a low and chillingly calm voice, "you should know I'm no hero. Maybe back then. But not now. Not since I became a Predator. And since then, I have been doing everything to make sure the people I love are no longer harmed. Yet, it's people like Rolan, like Adams, and like _you_ who continue to hurt them.

"I've had too many things taken away from me, Pluto. I'm tired of it all. I just had to watch some of the most important people in my life leave me for a second time. All I want to do is… keep what I have left safe.

"You can tell the Brigade I won't be getting in their way. I'm at the point where I don't care about Trihexa anymore. I only want to live the rest of my days with my loved ones. Nothing more."

The mindset of a Predator had locked him in a perpetual state of bloodlust and vengeance. He was constantly angry at something and constantly seeking out anything to sink his fangs into. He wanted to tear the life out of anything and everything no matter who or what it was.

These feelings had intensified whenever something had targeted his friends. It magnified yet he was able to focus it all on the thing threatening them. By doing this, he had been able to control himself, to keep himself in check, and to pretend to have as normal of a life as possible for them.

But what had happened in Kyoto…

His rage had reached its peak. It went beyond his despise for the Vampire Predator. His thirst for vengeance had burned so hot… he was nothing but cinders now.

He was tired. Exhausted. Endlessly seeking out the next target for his wrath was pointless. There was _always_ going to be something against him. All he wanted to do was live a normal life.

It was because he was a Predator did these things come after him. It was because he had power did these antagonistic forces greet him.

And every time he met this opposition, something bigger always followed its wake.

He should have known from the very beginning. He should have known as soon as he heard the screams of the end of the World. The Predators then weren't anywhere near strong enough to defeat Trihexa nor were they now. Nothing had changed despite their struggles.

Nothing was going to save this World.

"Fine," Pluto said with extreme bitterness. She threw up her hands in disappointed surrender. "Fine, fine, _fine_! Then I won't tell you all about the Khaos Brigade! I won't tell you everything that Outsider has planned or what his next move is. Let's just toss out the whole Predators versus Hunters thing right out the window!

"New proposal!" she blurted out, spreading her arms out in a gesture of starting fresh. "Let's say the Brigade leaves you alone like you want. You'll _never_ see them again. It doesn't change the fact you are a Primordial Lawmaker. You have the juice to change the entire omniverse. Hell, you could challenge the _King_ for the crown if you wanted!

"Things will still be coming for you," she pointed out. "Things not on this planet. Things like me, your siblings, possibly the Guardians, and every other being who has their sticky fingers in the workings of the omniverse. But you know what? Let's even assume those things leave you alone.

"You will outlive this entire World and everyone in it. That includes the girls in your harem. If you sit around and mope like a total loser, that's your choice. But you know the Triangular Beast is still out there. It's going to tear this place apart and make its way back to the Northern Forest. It's going to end this World, completely erasing everyone and everything within it from existence. The Abyss will win and no power in existence will be able to undo its work.

"You will have less than a year if you sit on your ass," she said, daring to look up at him with a challenging glare. "With the way that Outsider is going, you probably only have a few months. At best. But since you've given up, you might as well have one hell of an orgy.

"…Because you will spend the rest of eternity _alone_."

She broke eye contact as she returned to the couch. She hopped up to sit upon the cushion. Her feet dangled over the cushion as she pushed herself all the way back. Pluto looked up at him with the ageless eyes only her kind could bear.

"I will be here when you need me," she said with certainty. "I won't move from this spot until you return to me."

He couldn't stand to be anywhere near her.

Something deep within his core told him her words were truth. She wouldn't move. No matter how long it would take, she would wait for him. It wasn't out of expectancy. It was because she _knew_ he would come back for her. And she, an ageless being as old as existence itself, would wait patiently for his arrival.

He turned and left.

0-0-0

In retrospect, it probably wasn't the smartest idea to leave a potential enemy alone inside his house. He wasn't the only one who used this outrageously sized mansion. His friends and lovers had been occupying the spare rooms ever since the attack on Kuoh Academy. They believed this was the safest place to be until things calmed down. It was his responsibility as the host to make sure they were properly protected.

He almost laughed. He once thought his presence alone was more than enough. It was why he made such a show at the Gremory-Phenex Rating Game. It was supposed to be a testament to who he was and whoever would dare to harass his King ever again. It had worked… for a certain amount of time.

He laughed to himself because there were things out there that were superior to a Predator. A Predator, who, by definition of the word itself, was the apex creature on the food chain.

Yet, Issei was really nothing more than some guppy in an ocean of sharks.

His mood was all over the place. He was having difficulty keeping his anger in check. He knew this was in fault of today's events.

While being able to admit his love for Sona and having that love returned was a blessing he couldn't measure… he had lost something equally as precious in the same day. He had lost hope. He had believed he could save the World. He believed he could be reunited with his sister and his Queen.

Though he loathed to admit it, a part of him _wanted_ the Vampire to return.

All of that had been taken away from him.

What he needed right now was… a reminder. He lost so much and had gained just as many precious things. Things he treasured. Things that meant more to him than his own life.

He stepped out of the elevator and entered the training room deep underground.

As soon as he stepped out, his eyes did not flick over to Yuuto and Excalibur who had noticed him and thus triggered an entire conversation through their Predator perks. No. They were insignificant compared to the sun that shone and bathed him in loving warmth.

Rias looked like shit, in honesty.

Her hair was tied back and her workout clothes were in tears. It wasn't even erotic like how it was supposed to be in eroge, where damaged clothes were severed in conveniently revealing places. What eroge managed to miss were the wounds that came with the battered clothing. Bruises, cuts, burns, and sweat.

Rias had a look on her face of ruthless determination. She was gritting her teeth as she pushed herself harder against her foe. She was showing signs of exhaustion but refused to give up. He could see her hands blistering and burnt from excessive use of her power of destruction.

To Issei, she was still the most beautiful girl he had seen. She was still as beautiful as the first time he saw her through the window of her clubroom so long ago.

Her opponent in this match was a tall young man, maybe a year or two older than Issei. He was also a full head taller and built with compact muscle. He wore a black martial arts outfit similar to the Chinese masters Issei had seen on TV. There was a name for those types of outfits… Hm. He couldn't remember.

In any case, he was fighting Rias through brawn strength. While Rias was unleashing a volley of black orbs and lightning at him, the young man pummeled them aside with his bare fists. His knuckles were blackened from constantly meeting her power of destruction, but the skin was never pierced.

With a punch through the air, he sent some sort of invisible force flying forward. It released a shockwave as loud as thunder as it struck the wall of air in front of him. The force kept flying and struck Rias in the chest. She was thrown off her feet and tossed back a few meters.

Issei always went to her. It would be so easy to use his Gift of Flight to catch her. He wanted to catch her and hold her close in his arms. He didn't, however. This was a match for her sake. Besides, that damn Yuuto would have done the same thing if he thought things had escalated badly.

He watched as Rias picked herself back up, ready to continue the match. She never groaned. Her eyes were locked with her challenger, anticipating his next move and readying for the next bout.

"That's enough," the young man announced. His voice was booming and powerful despite his age. He crossed his arms while sporting a whimsical smile. "I believe this calls for a break."

"I can keep going," Rias argued with her own prideful smile. "I told you to not take it easy on me, Sairoarg."

"Hmph," Sairoarg snorted with amusement. "It's not just for your sake, Rias. I'm afraid if I go on any longer the master of the house will thrash me."

"Master of the…?" Rias blinked.

Sairoarg cocked his head to the side. Rias followed the gesture and looked around.

"…Hi," Issei said with a bright smile and wave of his hand. He suddenly felt silly about standing here while she stared at him. He ended up scratching the back of his head. "I'm home… Rias."

"I-Ise!" Rias breathed out. Hearing his name through her voice made his heart swell. The look on her face took his breath away. She was enthralled to see him. She made to run up to him. He could see the amount of love in her eyes.

She stumbled through to fatigue. Her legs wobbled until she lost her balance.

This time, he was ready to catch her. He took a single step forward and he had crossed the distance in an instant. He didn't need his wings for this, after all. He didn't think about it at all; he only reacted.

His hands held her up. Her dazzling turquoise eyes looked up at him. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek. She smiled up at him.

"Welcome home," she said in a dreamy voice.

Perhaps he was the one in a dream. He didn't want to let go of this moment. He impassively leaned his head into her hand. He held her a little tighter.

Sairoarg cleared his throat.

Rias' eyes widened as she realized her position. Her face lit up. She would have stood a little straighter if Issei wasn't holding her and her legs weren't wobbling like gelatin.

"R-Right," Rias sputtered before coughing once into her hand. "Ise, I would like you to meet the one who has been training me and my peerage for the past two months."

"Sairoarg Baal," he announced with a proud voice. "It's a pleasure and honor to finally meet _the_ Dragoon Predator. I've been inspired since witnessing your debut in the Underworld."

In the back of his mind, Issei knew Yuuto had ended the training exercises he was undergoing with Excalibur and began to make his way towards the group. He ignored him for the time being.

"Baal-san," Issei nodded. "I think I remember you. We… never met. But I remember… your presence at the Rating Game. You were one of the few watching it in person."

"So I was," Sairoarg returned the nod with a bold smile. "You can call me Sairoarg. Formalities aren't really my thing. But, really I must thank you for your involvement with House Phenex. Truth be told, I was on the verge of stepping in myself and challenging Phenex for Rias' rights."

"…Is that right," Issei muttered in reply. He couldn't help but hold Rias a little tighter.

"It's not like that!" Rias berated him by slapping his chest. "Sairoarg is my cousin from my mother's side. You're the only one for me, Ise."

This time, she was the one to hold him tighter.

He trusted Rias. Whatever jealousy and suspicion he had was completely dissolved by her comment. His trust in her was reinforced by the lone gesture of her resting her head against his chest.

"I hear you are eligible for the title of Demon Lord," Sairoarg began, trying to ignore the romantic vibe the two were creating. "I haven't heard of anyone receiving that title since the Great War. Did you know it's on par with mine as Great King?"

This was news to Issei.

"Great King?" he asked. "Then you know what it means to be a Demon Lord?"

Sairoarg shrugged, "Not specifically. There's some sort of distinction. But my crown gives me authority over one of the four hemispheres within Devil control."

"A whole hemisphere?!" Issei sputtered. "I can't be in charge of an entire hemisphere! Do you have any idea how many countries there are in one?!"

Sairoarg barked out a few laughs before calming down. Though his shoulders bounced every now and then while he kept smiling. "Don't worry. The job isn't as stressful as you'd imagine. It's mostly dealing with the leeches who try to suck up to you. Every government is self-managing so all you have to do is check up on them now and then. The only time we're really needed is in states of emergency. I have no doubts someone belonging to the infamous Predators is more than capable of that much."

"…Infamous?" Issei asked with both curiosity and confusion.

Before an answer was given, Yuuto and Excalibur reached the group.

"Hello, Ise-kun, glad you're back."

Instantly, Issei's face soured. He turned his head to give the damn handsome a proper greeting (or Rias would be angry at him). But then… he saw Yuuto.

Or, rather, Yumi.

Issei's face paled. He felt all the blood wash away from his face. His worst nightmare was standing right in front of him.

"Don't be like that, Ise-kun," Yumi frowned and waved her hand. "A lot happened over the weekend. I can explain."

"…I'm cursed," Issei stated. He turned his back on everyone, crouched into the fetal position, and cupped his hands over his face. "My gods are angry at me. They won't let me forget the unspeakable evil I have committed. I need to sacrifice ten thousand porn magazines to them. Is that even enough? I… I'll have to give them… my DVD collection too…"

 _~Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan~_ cried his predecessors.

"Make it go away!" Issei sobbed as he moved his hands from his face to his ears.

See no evil and hear no evil.

"…Is he okay?" Sairoarg asked.

"Don't worry," Rias sighed with exhaustion. "This is normal."

"This is normal," Sairaorg repeated.

"A lot happened between he and my Knight," Rias explained in a plain voice. "Things that are rather sensitive in this household. He always overreacts. Watch this. _Ahem_ , iya! My shirt! It's all torn! My breasts are just about ready to pop out!"

Issei knew her voice was as flat as Koneko's chest (and there was nothing wrong with that!) But he couldn't help put crane his head around with his eyes homing in on Rias' chest with laser focus. The shirt was tight enough for him to see the points of her nipples. And it was shredded enough for the milky skin to peek through. It made her entire outfit all the more erotic.

"See?" Rias pointed out without bothering to hide her modesty from his eyes.

Sairoarg wasn't disturbed by Issei's perverted nature. In fact, the man cocked his head back and laughed. It wasn't out of mockery. It was in appreciation.

"So, Ise-kun, how was your trip?" Yumi asked with genuine curiosity. She had her usual charming smile as if the two of them…

Issei blocked out the memory.

Instead, the memory of his trip to Kyoto overruled anything he had done with her.

"There's a few things I need to talk about," he said in a level voice. He was back among the group. "But I'd like to wait until everyone is home. Sairoarg-san, thank you very much for taking care of everyone while I was away. I'm sorry for having to ask you this but…"

"Ise, don't be rude…" Rias muttered lowly.

"No, I understand completely," Sairoarg nodded once in a firm voice. "It's not my place to impede in the affairs of a Predator. I only responded to Rias' request to help with her training. If you will excuse me, I have my own peerage to manage. It was an honor meeting you, Dragoon-dono."

Instead of a bow, he extended a hand.

Issei met it without averting from Sairoarg's gaze. As soon as their hands clasped in a shake, Issei's Gift of Seduction fluttered. It read into Sairoarg's intentions better than his draconian senses could detect. Sairoarg was an honest man who held honor above all else. There was no underlining intention beneath him. Greed as much as pride, but never deceit.

The second thing he noticed was the amount of strength behind that grip. Sairoarg was strong. Issei felt a good amount of pressure in the grip.

At his best, Sairoarg would have been able to keep up with Issei in his standard Balance Breaker armor. And that was a feat impressive of itself. He thought only the likes of Serafall could pull off something like that.

With a few more exchange of words, Sairoarg departed. Rias was the one to conjure a magic circle for Sairoarg to step into. He was gone a moment later.

"Kiba," Rias spoke with the authority of a King, "please gather everyone in the drawing room and have Akeno prepare some tea."

"Of course, Buchou," Yumi bowed. "Will you be long?"

Her eyes flickered towards Issei for a moment. "Not too long. Please indulge my selfish request. I would like to spend some time alone with Ise before anyone else snatches him away."

A knowing smile spread across Yumi, "As you wish. Come along, Cali-chan."

"Yes Papa!" Excalibur cheered and took off running ahead. She urged on Yumi, who increased her pace a little but didn't run after her.

Rias waited until the two of them were inside the elevator and heading up.

"Okay," Issei turned back to her. "What happened while I was away?"

Rias had a large smirk. She could hardly hold back the snickering even when she covered her mouth with a few fingers. "While the man of the house was away, we decided to have a girl's night out. Now, we certainly can't do that when there's still a boy on the premises."

"How long ago was this?" he asked next.

"You were only gone for a day, Ise," she said. But then she tapped a few fingers on her chin as she looked at the elevator. "But it _has_ been more than long enough for the pills to wear off. Akeno kept feeding them to Yuuto but… Maybe I should call Lord Royals?"

Great. The damn handsome was stuck being a bishoujou.

"I'm not sure about that…" Issei muttered while looking away. The last time he saw Richard Royals was when they were confronting Adams McCain. Richard took Ophis and teleported out of the area. He had no idea if the crazy magician was available or not.

Rias was looking at him with a puzzled look. She was beaming a message for him to fill her in on his reasoning.

"A lot of things happened in Kyoto…" he breathed out. He wasn't willing to explain any further. Not until he was ready and everyone else was around. He only had the heart to tell the story once.

She didn't press for answers. She understood him through the look in his eyes. Slowly, almost reluctantly, but full of excitement and hope, she approached him once more and wrapped her arms around him. She breathed him in and rested her head against his chest once more.

He held her the same way, burying his face into her hair. She was drenched with sweat. But the smell was driving him insane. He was only gone for a single day and yet he missed her.

No, he missed this level of intimacy with her. He hadn't been able to embrace her like this since before running off with Serafall in search of a familiar. He hadn't been able to hold her without a care in the world since before the brothers attacked.

He knew she had missed this as much as he did. She had been holding herself back. She had been feeling guilty and overburdened. She couldn't hold back any longer as she gave in to her desires and basked in his presence.

"Rias, will you tell me what's wrong?" he asked in a soft voice.

He felt her feelings surge. Doubt, fear, guilt, and despair. He felt her body twitch and her grip tighten. She didn't want to let go of him. She was afraid he would pull away.

"Ise," she whispered in a tiny voice. "Do you love me?"

"I do love you," he answered without hesitation. He pulled away; she allowed it. He brought a hand up to cup around her face while his eyes locked with hers. "Rias, I love you with everything that I have."

"…No matter what?" she asked with a weak voice. Her eyes were full of blind hope.

Alarms rang in his head. It wasn't just his draconian senses noticing her deception or the connection he had to the Gift of Seduction trying to convey to him her feelings. The World itself was telling him he was in mortal peril for her question.

"No matter what," he said, ignoring the thrice warnings and listened only to his heart. He meant it with every fiber of his being.

Rias knew this. Her face lit up. She looked on the verge of crying. A few tears sprouted but she blinked them away.

She rose up on her toes and pecked his lips. He returned the kiss, gently at first before the wave of emotions exploded out of the both of them. Their lips overlaid the other as their bodies pressed together.

She was the one who pulled away. The tears were still threatening to fall as her emotions were ready to overwhelm her. She smiled while her eyes soaked him in.

"Ise, let's get married."

The World continued to scream at him, telling him to back off or it will be his own downfall.

Wait a minute… The World was telling him to _not_ spend the rest of eternity with the most gorgeous woman on the planet?! What the shit?!

The World can go fuck off!

"I-Is it really okay?" he blurted out. "I mean… usually it's the guy who asks. No, that's not the problem here. Can we get married? You're a high-class Devil and I'm just your Pawn. I know I'll become a Demon Lord at some point but… I haven't met your parents yet…"

She looked up at him with large eyes, "You… don't want to?"

He nearly slapped himself for making her look this way. How dare he!

"Of course I want to!" he nearly shouted. "Do you have any idea how I feel right now?! Rias, this is something I never thought would happen. I used to have dreams about this! No, really! I had this one where everyone was in a wedding dress— that damn handsome was sitting in a pew and I don't know why he was in _my_ dream— but you were the one I was going to marry first. That is… that's not creepy, right?"

She let out a few giggles before kissing him again. "Ise, you don't know how much that makes me happy. I expect the man I fell in love with to have dreams about me. And don't worry about my parents. You were the one who annulled my marriage proposal with Raizer Phenex. I'm confident they expect you to take responsibility."

His heart swelled up once more. At this point, he was so happy he could forcibly ignore the World and its forboding in this moment.

He swept Rias into his arms and lifted her up. She squeaked once in surprise but it turned to delight at his gesture. She threw her arms around his neck as they shared one more kiss.

"Rias, will you marry me? Will you spend forever with me?"

Her smile was his everything.

"I will," she said.

They shared in each other's company for a moment before he let her down. They held hands and refused to let go of each other. Even when Rias commented enough time had passed, they never left the other's touch.

"A ring…" Issei said while scratching at the back of his head. "I need a ring. Ah, it's three months' salary, right? I'll have to ask Sona what's the average I make in a month so I can—"

And then, his entire world came a screeching halt as he remembered something.

Sona.

"Ise?" Rias tilted her head and tugged on his arm.

"…Promise to not get mad?" he pleaded while sweating bullets.

"That depends," she said slowly. "What did you do this time?"

This time?

He scratched his cheek while looking away. Still, his other hand never let go of Rias'. "Ah ha… a lot of things happened in Kyoto. One of those things… uh… Sona and I. We, uh, kinda… Sona and I are dating now."

He was waiting for Rias to explode.

And explode she did.

"It's about time!"

…Just not in the way he expected.

"Eh?" he blinked at her.

She jabbed a finger at his chest, "Do you have any idea how long you kept us all waiting? I've been prodding at Sona for months for the two of you to make up! We've all accepted at some point you and Sona would get together. We just didn't think it was going to take this long. Honestly, Ise, you knew her the longest."

He scratched at the back of his head. All expression washed off his face because his brain was fried.

"…You're okay with this?" he asked.

"You wanted a harem, didn't you?" she asked with a plain look.

"Of course!" he blurted out with passion… and then reeled it back a little. "T-That is… I thought you would get mad if I introduced another girl. I still can't believe I can have all of you. Or that you and I will… But Sona? It's Sona! She's like my best friend! I would have thought she'd be the last girl on the planet to join my harem!"

Rias gave him a flat look, "You really think that? Ise, anyone with eyes can see the two of you had a thing for another. I think it's just your naiveté and her stubbornness that kept the two of you apart. The two of you can be so… dumb."

He had to scratch his head again.

"Then… it's fine?"

"So long as I get to be main wife," she said with a huff.

"You're the one I'm marrying…" he muttered.

She couldn't hold back the smile, but she tried to sound sour about it, "Doesn't mean I won't be main wife. My father has a harem and it's only due to my mother's fortitude did she become the main wife. I won't lose to Sona, Ise. I mean it."

"How's that going to work, anyways?" he asked. They called the elevator and stepped in.

She smiled up at him while squeezing his hand, "You let me work out the details. After all, it's the duty of the main wife to plan out the schedule of the _lesser_ wives."

She had an evil smirk that rivaled Akeno's.

The doors shut and they ascended back into the surface floor.

0-0-0

Everyone was present. Everyone he loved. He didn't realize how many girls there were in his life until they all came crashing onto him as soon as he revealed himself. Asia was the first, loudest, and brightest. Irina was behind her in ranks. Xenovia, while quiet enough to rival Koneko's charm, was loud in her own sense.

As soon as he appeared did she want to screw him. Right then and there. With everyone watching.

Akeno was content with it so long as she was allowed to join. Xenovia, of course, agreed with it without any thought. Most of the others argued they wanted a place with Issei as well. The rest voiced that having intercourse in the middle of the drawing room was unconventional.

Sona was giving him a look. He dreaded the upcoming lecture he knew she was going to give him.

He apologized to the Knights of the Round, Lancelet and Morgan, for having them witness the usual charades with his harem. Lancelet was flustered but commented it was his home and he was entitled to his own needs. Morgan was sour she wasn't invited, which got her an earful from Lancelet.

The room fell silent once Issei took the center couch and placed the wooden box on the top of the small table in front of him.

"Is that…?" Yumi spoke softly but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Issei didn't answer right away. His face was a blank while he looked at each and every girl in the room. The mood had changed from jovial to serious in an instant. They all knew the next thing he was about to share with him demanded their full attention. They settled in their places and listened.

He told them what happened in Kyoto. Everything. From when he arrived, to him meeting the Ruler of the World, to being drugged with a love potion, and the appearance of Adams McCain. Tiamat filled in the gaps and specified certain terms when he couldn't. But most of the story was for him to tell and she remained quiet unless needed.

He told them about how Rolan was really the Ruler of the World.

He told them about Hades and his Reapers full of former Predators.

He told them about the Vampire. About Amelia.

…And about Ayame.

Last, he told them about [Potential]. He told them all what Ddraig truly was and how Issei assumed all of his authorities. He told him how he had been able to access that power through Sona.

"So that's why you…" Rias muttered lowly while blushing. One of her hands went to her chest. She remembered the time he had asked she strip and let him fondle her breasts.

"So much happened in a single trip," Akeno commented. "It hadn't even been a full twenty-four hours."

"Trist and Kayla were with the Valkyrie Predator?" Morgan whispered to her partner.

"It might explain why headquarters lost their whereabouts and why they survived the assault," Lancelet whispered back.

"Everyone was fake…?" Irina asked in a low voice. "That's so horrible."

"Ise," Asia was there at his side. She rested both her hands over one of his. She didn't say anything else as her eyes were full of pain. She was hurting for his sake.

He had a somber smile as he gripped her hand. He could feel the amount of love radiating off of everyone in the room. They all loved him. They all worried about him.

This. This was his home. Here, there were no enemies. There was no deception. No one was trying to kill him or betray him.

This was his family.

"It explains so much…" Yumi almost growled from where she sat. Her eyes were as sharp as blades. "For that man to be the Ruler of the World. It should have been almost predictable. He was the one who turned us both into Predators, wasn't he?"

"Knowing Rolan is the Ruler doesn't change anything," Sona stated. "What matters more is the revelation of Adams McCain. The assembly of Primordial Lawmakers was disrupted into chaos when Rolan was trying to recruit their help. He knocked a foundation on our side before it could be built. We are back to where we started."

Sona was hurting just as much as he was. She had gone to the assembly for the sole purpose of finding a way to bring back her peerage. The majority of her servants had died in the battle against the Vampire's brothers. She went to Rolan in desperation and… the fiasco of Kyoto left her empty handed and broken.

Her goal had been right in front of her. Issei had been the one holding it in his hands. Hades had promised to revive everyone if Issei let him live. Yet, it was Sona who convinced him it wasn't worth it. Hades couldn't be trusted.

Issei crushed him and Sona lost the only way to revive her friends.

"I think we're all missing the bigger picture," Koneko said bluntly. "Did everyone forget the Biblical God and Planet Incarnate are back?"

There was utmost silence in the room.

"Is there…" Rias was unsure while she looked at Sona. "How… Should we call someone?"

"I've already alerted my sister," Sona stated. She rubbed the side of her temple. "She doesn't believe me. Give it a day or two and she'll learn."

"Should we panic?" Akeno asked with a just as unsure smile.

"I don't think so…" Issei offered. "They seem pretty cool. They signed up for the Rating Game and everything."

"Au, Ise, what was God like?" Asia was glowing at his side.

His face cringed as he remembered the Biblical God. _She_ was a super cute and extremely stacked hikikomori with some sort of twisted penis envy syndrome. But he really didn't want to tell Asia any of this.

"It hurt," he said. "It hurt a lot."

"It _is_ God," Xenovia said blandly. "You as both a Devil and a Dragon would be susceptible to His power."

The same could be said about the Earth Mother. She was a total anti-dragon beast who could tear through his armor like paper and negate his regeneration. She also sapped away at his stamina like crazy. It took _three_ modern Predators to push back those two.

He honestly doubted he could win against them if they didn't regain their consciousness.

"Speaking of the Rating Game," Rias spoke up while she eyed the wooden box Issei brought in earlier. "Are you sure Rolan will want to keep everything scheduled? What with everything happening I don't think he's petty enough to keep fighting against Ise."

Both he and Sona gave her a look.

Rolan? _Not_ being petty? When was the guy ever not petty? The whole marriage proposal to Sona was entirely petty!

"On that note," Sona spoke up. "I don't believe Rolan will give me up so easily. He wants something from me, though I'm not sure what it could be. He went through drastic measures to speak to me without breaking any of his promises or lying. He even fooled Ise while portraying Jay Arlington.

"What's more, Hades mentioned something to him while I was held captive. I was considered his _apprentice_."

"…What's that supposed to mean?" Rias asked in a low and dangerous voice.

Sona shook her head, "I don't know. My guess is that it has something to do with the mechanics of the omniverse. He wanted me to be at the gathering as his secretary. My job was to take notes of the conversations while he answered whatever questions I had. He explained to me, in great and careful detail, the roles and operations of each Lawmaker as well as how he fit in as the Ruler of the World."

"Yes, but…" Yumi put on a thoughtful look. "With the enemy finally making their move, do you think he has enough time to be messing around like this? He should be more focused on stopping Adams McCain before the Evensong is fulfilled."

"We won't know until he makes his next move," Sona frowned. "Whether it be to resume my education or to engage against McCain, it all depends on him."

"Regardless of what he picks," Issei spoke up. "I'm not going to give you up, Sona. Not to some douchebag like that. If he keeps at it and wants to keep the Rating Game between us, I'll make sure to break him in half. Honestly, I hope he keeps it. I've wanted to smash his face in for too long."

Her eyes shone with understanding and she almost smiled at him. But it was quickly masked, "That's flattering, Ise. However, I believe your time is best spent preparing for the next enemy strike. For example, we have a weapon against McCain and we don't know how to use it."

He looked away while scratching his cheek.

"You continue to play this game, Ddraig," Tiamat sighed in the corner. "I still can't see the enjoyment of it."

"You think this is a game?" Yumi demanded in a sharp voice. "The fate of the world is at stake here. We're trying to protect the ones we love."

She ignored Yumi completely. More like she hadn't heard Yumi speak despite being in the same room. Her cobalt serpentine eyes were locked on Issei's profile.

"This is my home," he said to her. "You might not get it. You probably never will. But it means everything to me. I want to enjoy it for as long as possible. I love everyone here. It's as simple as that."

Tiamat didn't understand. It was written all over her face. She also had a bit of disgust hidden underneath. She was staring at him as though he had just legally married his waifu from a dating simulator.

"Question," Morgan raised her hand when she spotted her chance. "How exactly does one acquire a place in your harem? Lancelet and I want to be loved too."

Lancelet gave up trying to scold her partner and just let her face fall into her hands.

"Oh, sorry," Akeno said with a twisted smile. "We're completely booked. All spots have been filled. The next reservation won't be available until after the Evensong. At the earliest."

"I'll take it," Morgan said without shame… or taking a hint.

"Now, before we get into more pressing matters such as the Rating Game and what exactly you're going to do with those Predator Pieces, Ise-kun," Akeno's smile shifted as she eyed him. "There's something I think you need to explain."

"I was drugged," he blurted out, his eyes instantly widening and complexion paling.

They stared at him for a moment.

"So we've been told," Akeno kept smiling. "And I wasn't referring to that. It's something of more immediate importance. You see, last night we had a girl's night out and some truths were shared. One of the things we found out is the fact you promised each of us something right before you left on your little trip."

He blinked in confusion. His brows furrowed as he tried to force his memories to rewind. His mind played a lot of the carnage at Kyoto, a huge black spot when he was drugged, his announcement at the gathering, stepping out of the Dragon Gate with Tiamat, and before all of that…

His lips twitched. He remembered.

"Good," Akeno's smile stretched as though she could read his mind. Or… the fact it was written on his face. "So, Ise-kun, which one of us are you going on a date with?"

He had everyone's attention. Even Yumi.

Wait. Why the _fuck_ was Yumi glaring at him the same way everyone else was?! Issei promised this damn handsome jack shit! They didn't even talk before his departure. Why the hell was she giving him the glare of expectancy?! The kind of glare given to every harem protagonist where she better be picked over everyone else, or else.

It had been a nonchalant thing. Kinda. He remember promising to go on a date with Akeno. He also remembered to buy Koneko a bunch of sweets. Oh, and that he was supposed to spend some time with Irina and Xenovia. Irina called it a date and he couldn't denied it because he was a man who slept with them and needed to take responsibility.

He also _just_ got engaged with Rias. He should take her out to dinner or something.

…But he had also gotten together with Sona. How could he confess his love to her and not go on a date with her?

As time stretched on, the World was prodding at him. They were getting impatient. Their glares were intensifying.

He really dug himself a grave this time.

But then, a miracle happened.

The doorbell rang!

"I'LL GET IT!" he shouted and leapt onto his feet. Before anyone could stop him (though not for a lack of trying) he was out of the room.

The drawing room wasn't too far from the main door. He at least didn't need some sort of transportation toy to get around this much. But it was another matter when it was going to take him an adventure and a half making his way to his room.

He opened the door, not caring whatever was on the other side. It could have been some package delivery, some alien invader asking for directions, or even Adams McCain himself. He gladly accepted any distraction to prolong his imminent doom.

On the other side was…

"Rossweisse-chan?" he blinked.

"H-Hello, Hyoudou-sama," the silver-haired valkyrie fidgeted where she stood, struggling to match his gaze with a look full of shame. "I wasn't sure if I found the right residence. I'm sorry for troubling you so suddenly after the incident. It's just… T-That is…"

She couldn't finish her next words. She shrank in on herself. The amount of shame permeating off of her body was an almost visible force.

His eyes flicked behind her. He spotted the rolling suitcase hidden behind her legs.

"…Would you like to come in?" he offered.

"Can I, please?" she almost sobbed.

He couldn't tell her off. He would never forgive himself for turning away a crying beauty like Rossweisse. He stepped back and let her in. She bowed and brought in her suitcase.

He yelped when the World told him the entire company of girls were huddling around the corner and spying on him. He didn't need to World to tell him how they were all beaming various negative messages his way.

"Please pardon my intrusion," Rossweisse said, still not noticing the amount of staring not too far away. She was still downcast with her own thoughts. "It's just… I had nowhere else to go. I argued with myself over what to do. I know we just met but I wasn't sure if I should bother you over something like this. And your place was so close… I'm so sorry for disturbing you. I'm such a disgrace of a valkyrie."

Something dawned on him.

"Where's Odin?" he asked.

Rossweisse breathed in. She was about to have a crying fit. "O-Odin-sama… He… He… He… HE LEFT WITHOUT ME!"

She started to ball into her hands. It made Issei freak the hell out and not know what to do. It was like watching a fire suddenly sprout. He wasn't sure where to start on managing this mess.

"He went back to Asgard without me!" Rossweisse went on between sobs. "He just left me here while he forgot all about me! I can't go back there! Everyone will scorn me! I was supposed to be his bodyguard and he left without me! If I go back without Odin-sama then I'll be shamed forever!"

"…Are you sure he's not just dead?"

He nearly smacked himself. He needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut.

"I thought that too!" Rossweisse blurted back. She sniffed and composed herself enough to speak a little more clearly. Though she kept crying. "I had feared he fell in battle. I thought I had failed my job. But then a servant of Yasaka-sama approached me and asked what I was still doing in Kyoto. He explained to me Odin-sama checked out and had already left for Asgard!"

And then she went back to crying.

Issei stood there for a moment as he mulled over her story.

From what little he _could_ remember, which wasn't much, Rossweisse was Odin's bodyguard professionally but more of a babysitter in practicality. She had spent the last of her paycheck covering his drinking bill. And, following Odin's pattern…

"Rossweisse-chan, do you have any money for yourself?" he asked to make sure.

"I… I spent the last of it covering the room service Odin-sama used…" she said between sobs.

Yup. He guessed right.

"If you really have nowhere else to go…" he rubbed the back of his head. "Then you can stay here. There are plenty of rooms you can use. I can't exactly say no to you…"

Rossweisse looked up at him as though he was some god of salvation. She looked ready to cry some more.

"T-Thank you!" she said while giving an eastern bow. "Thank you, Hyoudou-sama! B-But I won't be such a freeloader! I can cook and I can clean! I will do whatever it is you may need of me! I promise you, I will be the best wife for my husband!"

…He knew he forgot something about Rossweisse.

All of existence came crashing down over his shoulders. His life was forfeit.

"HUSBAND?!"

"Wait!" he pleaded, throwing his back against the door while putting up his hands. "I can explain!"

"I-Ise, how could you?" Asia asked with tears in her eyes.

"Unforgiveable," Koneko muttered in a dark tone.

"So this is the type of girl you like best, Ise-kun?" Akeno cackled with something ominous looming behind her.

"I-I-I-Ise-kun, what's the meaning of this?!" Irina shouted with a flushed face.

"…Does this mean we can't continue our sessions?" Xenovia asked with genuine concern.

"Go on, Ise," Rias beamed a smile at him… with some power of destruction cycling around her fingertips. "We're all listening."

Rossweisse, having just noticed the girls around the corner, blanched at the sheer number.

Issei, meanwhile, found out his mind comes to a screeching halt when placed under this much pressure. He could understand. The only time he was in front of this much death and destruction was when he was battling for his life. He never needed to think. He only ever reacted with his fists and some draconian bombs.

Those sorts of tactics won't get him out of this mess. In fact, it'll only make things worse.

"S-Sona," he squeaked. He wasn't ashamed he sounded like a mouse. "Say something!"

Sona, who had joined the fray in spying on him, adjusted her glasses while examining the mess he was in. "I don't believe anything I say can convince them of whatever conclusion they've each come up with. You'll have to wait until they've calmed down."

…That's not fair. That's not fair at all. She couldn't just tell them he was drugged? He was under the effects of a love potion!

The doorbell rang again.

He didn't ask. He _really_ needed the distraction. The longer he could prolong this, the better.

Please let there be some world-ending beast on the other side that needed his attention as a Predator!

"Good afternoon, Ise-kun," Gabriel greeted with a heavenly smile.

He almost banged his head on the door's edge. Here was another one of his mistakes due to the love potion. His eyes spotted the twelve black wings.

He, somehow in his drunken stupor, convinced the purest of Angels to Fall.

"I happen to find myself in a predicament," she gave a pout that almost melted him where he stood. "You see… I no longer have a home. I was offered a place with Azazel but I'm worried for my chastity. I may be Fallen but I cannot give myself so carelessly. Seeing as you live not too far from Kyoto, I saw to seek for your hospitality. That is, of course, you are willing to take responsibility over what you've done to me?"

He decided to slam his head against the door's edge.

Did she seriously have to say those words?! Not only was it in the cutest voice ever, but she had said it within earshot of his harem!

The next wave of stares at his back were twice as icy as before.

"Yeah, sure, come in," he said while opening the door further. His voice was in absolute defeat. He accepted his life was over. "Make yourself at home."

"You have my thanks, Ise-kun," Gabriel smiled so lovingly at him while passing by him. She brushed a hand against his arm on her way. "If it's not too selfish… I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to… spend more time with me doing… naughty things. That night made me feel such a rush and I can't get it out of my mind!"

She looked so embarrassed and shameful but gleefully pleased with herself. It was the sort of look a woman would have at admitting she had the greatest sex of her life.

That's exactly how his harem was seeing it.

They didn't know the thrill she was talking about was how she picked up a 100 yen coin and not finding its original owner. In fact, that was the reason why she Fell in the first place!

Now the World was telling him no amount of words was going to convince them. They were set in their ways. Even Rossweisse was looking at him with indifference. She wanted to keep him in light. She wanted to believe in him. But doubt was clear in her mind.

Before the next wave of argument could begin, the doorbell rang again.

He exchanged a look with his harem. He was silently asking whether he should open the door or let them say their piece. They, in return, each wanted him to open the door and see how much more trouble he could get himself in.

He begged to the World. He begged let TRIHEXA be on the other side!

"Puppy!" Sixth Predator, Xi'Long Li Qin, greeted with her childish smile. Behind her stood two of the Knights of the Round.

"Nope," Issei said before slamming the door.

… _Almost_ slamming the door, actually.

"Hey!" Li Qin barked while she put her foot in front of the door before it could fully close. She tried to push it open but Issei dug his shoulder into it. "That's not nice! I came all this way to see you!"

"How did you find where I live?!" he shouted while trying to shut the door. His eyes and skin shifted as he drew up his draconian essence. Yet it was a serious strain trying to compete with this lithe girl. How can someone so thin be as strong as him?!

"I asked Mars!" she answered with a grunt. "Neh, Puppy, I'm going to get mad. Is this any way for my husband to treat me?"

"I never agreed to it!" he blurted and put more power into his struggle. He conjured a few pieces of the Boosted Gear and amplified his strength. Yet, the girl was _still_ able to keep up at him.

On another note, he couldn't help but notice the door withstood all this pressure. He needed to ask what sort of material Rias requested to withstand the colossal crushing force between two Predators.

"Puppy…" she growled, dropping her childish playfulness and getting annoyed. "Open the door. I'm going to get mad."

"I already have enough to deal with!" he argued back. "I don't need another misunderstanding! I don't even know you!"

"Puppy… Let. ME. IN! GRRAAAAHHH!"

He was blown back by a sudden burst of strength that outdid his. The door flung open and he was knocked off his feet. He quickly sat up, fully alert to defend his territory.

"That was fun," Li Qin cupped her hands together and cracked her knuckles by extending her arms. She had her childish smile again. "Not many can last that long against Mars, neh."

The red sword at her side twitched. Issei had the impression it was begging for his forgiveness the same way Rossweisse would have for Odin's behalf.

"Please pardon our intrusion, Master Hyoudou," one of the Knights behind Li Qin entered and spoke up. She waited until her partner crossed over before closing the door. "Lady Xi'Long was insistent in visiting you."

"…We were dragged against our will," said the other Knight. "Please save us."

"Please," begged the first Knight without shame.

"Please don't tell me you came _just_ to see me," Issei groaned while he stood back up. He dismissed the pieces of armor from his Sacred Gear.

"You left without saying goodbye," Li Qin pouted, puffing her cheeks and everything. "And there's a whole lot that happened with me and Sunny that you missed. We wanted to tell you but you left before we could. So here I am! Invading your home while I tell you—"

Once again, the doorbell rang.

Li Qin pouted again. She wasn't going to say anything. He didn't understand why. She can just deliver her message and be on her way. But she was giving him a look of impatience. She crossed her arms (and he tried his damnest to not stare at the rising of her bust) and puffed her cheeks some more. She was waiting for him to answer the door.

His gaze shifted over to his harem, who was still watching and waiting for their moment to strike. They were going to gut him at the crescendo of this sitcom antic.

He looked over to Rossweisse, who looked completely out of her element. She looked like a puppy lost at sea, only floating by a small plank of wood. The second she fell off that plank would she drown.

He looked over to Gabriel. The former Archangel gave him a cheery and innocent wave. She was either considerate of the situation and kept completely out of it… or completely clueless about all the murderous undertones within the room.

He had no choice. The door it was.

"WHAT?!" he shouted as soon as he opened the door. It better have been the Evensong personified at this point!

…It was good enough.

Richard Royals stood at the door. His shimmering emerald eyes were locked on Issei's for a moment. He cocked a brow and then glanced over his shoulder, noticing the gathering of women staring daggers into Issei's back.

Slouched on his back was… Ophis. Her limbs lay limp over his shoulder while her eyes stared straight into nothingness. She was completely unresponsive to anything in her surroundings.

"Is now a bad time?" Richard asked.


	17. GET ON WITH IT!

**A note from the author!**

I actually meant to finish this chapter at 10k so I could work on another omake. But it ended up being 17k and at 4am. I'm beat. I'm just posting it and find a chance for an omake I've only half-assed at a later time.

On another note, I would like to say this isn't the story I wanted to update on this particular special weekend of mine. I meant to update that other thing I updated the last time it was my birthday. But, alas, I'm nowhere near done with that. It's next on my list... provided a certain someone doesn't badger me about updating BR.

Go to hell Aaron.

This chapter is more like a part 2 of the previous chapter. But now that the setting of the current arc is finally made, I can expand the plot! And it only took me 35k words to layout the groundwork! Huzzah!

Bleck. Hopefully I can cover this arc before I meet my Chapter 23 deadline. I don't want a Chapter 24. I've no idea what I'm going to incorporate the Vampire into this if there's a 24th chapter.

Alright, without further ado...

Oh. Wait. Before I forget.

 **Regarding the character Arrixam:**

It's not my self-insert. The closest thing to a self-insert here would be Rolan, who was based on me when I was a shitty 14 year old. So, no, Arrixam Lalassu isn't a self-insert.

Actually, my penname (Arrixam) comes from him. He's a character of mine I designed ages ago, I needed a unique name, and I just picked his because I needed something to make the **SOMEONE ALREADY HAS THIS USERNAME** icon go away.

That is all.

ON WITH THE SHOW!

* * *

"In short," Sona adjusted her glasses to make the light shimmer through the lenses, "everything at fault here is due to the effects of the love potion."

"Ohhhhhhhhh," came the chorus of awe from his harem. Asia, Irina, and, oddly enough, Morgan were clapping in applause. The Knight of the Round was more than likely doing it to try and fit in.

Issei sniffed as he felt a tear gather, "Sona… I'm so glad you tagged along. They would have never listened to me."

Sona gave him a sideways glance. While Richard Royals had stormed into the place and lay Ophis down within the nearest guest room, Issei was bombarded with a series of accusations and questions from the girls. They wanted to know why he was married to Rossweisse, why the Archangel Gabriel was now a Fallen Angel and requesting he take responsibility, and why the Valkyrie Predator was clinging onto his back like a schoolgirl sweetheart.

She had saved him. He had no way of explaining himself. No matter what he said, even if they were Sona's words in exact likeness, they wouldn't have listened.

Simply, he didn't have her presence. Sona was someone too used to taking charge and getting everyone's attention. She was a remarkable King with her peerage as much as she was the dictator of Kuoh Academy as the Student Council President.

Dictator, really. Issei couldn't remember there ever being an election for as long as he'd been in there.

"Couldn't you just appease to Odin-sama for you to divorce Homewrecker-san?" Akeno asked with a mirthful smile.

Rossweisse flinched from where she sat, "H-Homewrecker?! I… But I…"

Issei scratched his head. He now had the limelight since everyone had calmed down enough to hear him out. "Apparently I can't. The wedding bands are made out of our hair and have some kind of magic on them."

He raised his hand. At first, there was nothing there. But upon looking at his ring finger did the silver weave appear. Despite getting thrashed, losing an arm, and, oh, converting his entire being into Primordial Law, the ring had survived. He could feel a small connection in the back of his mind. Both bands were linked together. As far as he could tell, it wasn't invading his mind or giving him a compulsion to be a dutiful husband or anything like that.

"There might also be some political backlash if presented to Odin-kun," Gabriel offered with her adorable voice. Seriously, he could get lost in that voice even if she was saying something disturbing. "He returned to Asgard, did he not? If we make a case, it would be right in front of the Asgardian courts. Ise-kun would have to tell of Odin-kun's blunder and embarrass him. I'm afraid there will be nothing but unrest on both sides."

In other words, Odin, Lord Deity of the Nordic Pantheon, would be made a fool by Issei, a potential Demon Lord of the Devil Society. Just like anything else, even if he presented himself as a Predator, those who wanted to pick a fight with him would instead turn towards the Devils. It's not like they could bully him personally. Making complaints to the Devil Society would be much easier.

…He'd put too much stress on Rias and her family. He didn't want to do that.

"Why does it matter?" Li Qin asked from Issei's backside. He couldn't get her off. Plus… he didn't know whether to enjoy her breasts pressed against him or go take a cold shower. Her body was physically mature but her soul was that of a child. "Puppy is a Dragon! He's got the stamina to take all of us!"

Her words made the struggle that much harder.

"More people mean less time for us," Koneko said bitterly while giving him the death-glare.

The sword, now resting along Li Qin's back to compensate her position, twitched a number of times.

"Yeah!" she said in agreement to whatever it said. "You're all Devils! You're all going to live a couple of centuries. There's plenty of time for all of us!"

"That's not the point," Koneko bit back. "And don't include yourself. Ise-sempai says he doesn't know you."

"And please get off my back," he groaned. Any longer and his mind was going to say fuck it and pitch a tent.

"Predator Xi'Long," Sona spoke up in a firm voice. "I believe you said you had a message to relay to us from Sir Rolan?"

Li Qin hummed to herself while tapping a finger on her lips. "Well, a lot happened. Hmm. First, when the Primes went all 'BLARGH', I was like 'RAAAAH', and then they were all like 'GYAAAH', and then, and then, and then I was like 'HAHAHAHA!'"

He didn't need to see to know she was throwing her arms around everywhere, trying to reenact something only she could see in her mind.

Everyone had mixed expressions. A few brows were raised, some strained smiles, an impatient look or two, and a deadpan stare.

Once again, the crimson sword on her back twitched.

"That's exactly what I said…" she pouted and leaned most of herself onto Issei's back. She rested her chin on his shoulder. "It's just the shorter version. You get it, right, Puppy?"

"…Not really," he said with a sigh. "It sounds like there was a lot of fighting and you won."

"Yes!" she cheered. "So what's the plan?"

He craned his neck around to give her the deadpan look Koneko was using.

"Lady Xi'Long," one of the Knights she came in with— he was pretty sure her name was Trist— stepped forward in a crisp but reserved stance. "You will have to remember Master Hyoudou wasn't present in your engagements. Can you please tell him our side of the story?"

"Neh, Trist, that's perfect!" Li Qin waved her arm erratically at the Knight. "Why don't you do it then? You're better at this than I am!"

"You kept running off on your own," the other Knight, Kayla, was blunt compared to her stalwart partner. "We spent most of our time fighting Reapers and catching up to you. Once we did, you took off to the next hotspot. We don't know what happened."

"Boo…" Li Qin pouted again. She perked up immediately. "I got it! Mars! You tell the story!"

The sword twitched.

"I know, I know! But don't you sense it? That other one… um… I can't remember her name. The one that's not a planet anymore. She's here! She can translate!"

The sword didn't twitch this time. Instead, Issei had the impression its lack of response was it sighing in exhaustion. This was reinforced when Li Qin's face soured slightly.

"Pluto?" Sona asked aloud. "Ise, when you went off to see to that guest…"

"Yeah, it's the same one," he said while adjusting his grip on Li Qin's legs. He might as well get comfortable. "She's in one of the… drawing rooms? The one down the hall near the stairs."

"And… you left her there?" Sona asked with a raised brow.

"More like I'm keeping her there. She said she was going to stay there until I needed her. She's glued herself to her own word. I can't explain it… but she can't go against it no matter what."

"Originals are incapable of lying," Gabriel offered with her beatific smile and voice. "It directly goes against Star's Law of Truth by them saying what isn't."

He didn't know what she was talking about but understood enough to reinforce his claim.

 _"That's some bullshit Arry made up on the spot!"_ they all heard the pint-sized Original shout a few doorways down. _"I lie to his face every day!"_

"Any clue who she's talking about?" Issei asked the leech sticking to his back.

Li Qin tilted her head while listening to the rattling of her sword, "Neh, Mars says Pluto is crazy and you shouldn't listen to anything she has to say."

Good to know. All the more reason to not take anything she says seriously.

On another note, they all heard Pluto scream out in frustration.

"Xi'Long-sempai," Kiba Yumi spoke with a slightly raised hand. "As a Predator not present during the Kyoto incident, is there anything you can tell me to better understand?"

"…Who are you?" Li Qin asked in a blunt tone.

Yumi smiled. She stood at Rias' side as the perfect attendant. She took a short step forward and gave an Eastern bow. "Currently I am a Zero Predator. But Excalibur and I together make Eighth Predator, the Siege Perilous."

Excalibur stuffed her cookie into her mouth and waved jazz hands at Li Qin.

"Can I ask something?" Issei raised his hand.

Yumi gave him a smile. It sent shivers down his spine. One, because it was gross since he knew this thing was really a guy. But two, because her smile made his heart skip a beat, which reinforced the first reaction.

He swallowed his bile and resumed, "Why are you a chick?"

"That's what you want to know?" Rias gave a slight sigh but didn't press anything else.

"Girl's night out," Yumi answered with an embarrassed look. She tried to hide her blush with a hand to her cheek and turning her head slightly. But her eyes continued to look up at him through her bangs. "I-Is there something wrong, Ise-kun?"

More confliction waged war in his body. That expression was so fucking cute he wasn't sure whether to get aroused or disgusted. Too many brain cells were dying as they dug trenches in his mind and shot each other to high hell.

"Pow!" Li Qin said suddenly.

"It _was_ super effective," Morgan said while nodding and jotting down a few notes into her miniature pad. She was nudged by her partner, Lancelet.

"No, not that," Li Qin waved a hand. "Pow! Not like _ka-pow_ , but like the term."

"…You lost me," Issei said.

Her sword twitched.

"Yeah, what Mars said!" Li Qin stuck her thumb at her sword as though they could all hear whatever she could. "Neh? Still no? You know what, I think I'll just show you."

She snapped a finger and pointed at the clear space off to the side of the room.

On the ceiling came a multi-colored portal that tore through the fabric of reality. Instantly, a large sum of people poured out and landed haphazardly on top of the rug. When Issei thought the first five were enough, more poured out. They all landed on top of each other in a heap of limbs intertwining.

Instantly, his eyes noticed the sculpted figures of his acquired taste. There were a few girls among this group and they were all gorgeous and _well_ defined. Some of them were even blonde! That got them plus points!

But then… his nose picked up their scent. It triggered something in the back of his mind. The scent of these people… they were familiar.

And he wasn't talking about Vali somewhere in that mix.

"More people…" Akeno did not sigh but gave something close to it. She began to head out of the room, "I'll go get some more things."

"Please!" Rossweisse jumped from her seat. "Let me help."

Akeno giggled with a twisted smile, "Don't worry about it. I'm only making sandwiches. The recipe I'm using wouldn't be right with anything _unwanted and unnecessary_."

Rossweisse flinched. She was on the verge of crying again. Despite explaining what happened, Akeno was still showing her claws. Issei was about to tell her something.

"I'm helping!" Rossweisse said back boldly. "I will not burden Hyoudou-sama by being a freeloader. It is my duty as his wife to make sure he is comfortable in his own home. I happen to know an exquisite Scandinavian recipe."

Akeno's smile shifted. She looked amused and… glad? He wasn't sure how to explain it. But Akeno looked like she was interested in a challenge. Nevertheless, she nodded once and let Rossweisse follow her out of the room and towards the kitchens.

"Pow!" Li Qin said while the large sum of people were groaning and barking at each other and trying to get untangled. "Get it now?"

No. He still didn't.

"Oh my," Gabriel said as she tilted her head cutely. "These children were at the assembly."

"They were?" Issei looked at her. "The only one I saw was Vali. Where were the rest?"

"They were all fighting against the Youkai Matriarch," Li Qin answered. "I saw them and decided to get them to stop. They all became my pow after that."

Pow… What the hell was…?

" _Prisoners of war_ ," Sona said. "It's difficult to understand because of our Language ability as Devils."

Oh. Now he got it. Prisoners of war. _P-O-W_.

Yeah, he would have never have gotten it. He nearly failed English.

"Couldn't you have said that without bringing them here?" Yumi asked.

"I have to agree with my Knight," Rias spoke up. "If these are culprits who instigated the events in Kyoto, don't you think it is rather imposing to bring them to the home of your person of interest?"

"Yeah, seriously, why did you bring them all here?" Issei reverberated everyone's concern. His especially. If these people are dangerous in any way, he didn't want to throw down in his own home. With or without the help of two other Predators in the room.

"You wanted a story and I have witnesses," Li Qin answered simply.

His frustration was rising. But the World was warning him. She could sense his distress and knew if he lashed anything out on her would she return the favor. Li Qin could deal some serious damage to him if she wanted. It wasn't worth it.

"That… was rather unpleasant," one of the boys said. He was in Church garments and kept a plastic smile.

"A warning would have been great," groaned the petite girl.

"Nii-sama!" cried the youngest of the group, a girl in her middle-school years. "I can't get out! Someone's touching me in a naughty area!"

"I swear it's not me!" shouted the young man who resembled too much like a monkey.

"GET OFF ALREADY!" roared the young man at the bottom of the pile. He was a mountain of a man a full head and chest taller than Issei. He stood up, effectively knocking everyone off of him and having them crash onto the furnishings. Thus, making their arrival that much more aggravating.

Issei waited for them to gather themselves. There were a few more shouts and a couple of complaints. The petite blonde and the large boy were arguing with each other. The brother and sister were checking each other. The Nekoshou was dusting her off in an attempt to ignore Rias and her peerage on the couch.

But Issei was staring at the leader of the group. The young man in Chinese armor and school uniform was staring back at him. His face fell into a charismatic smile.

"Hyoudou-shishou."

The entire Hero Faction fell silent as though a godsend and a taboo had been spoken simultaneously. Which… wasn't that far from exaggeration.

"Cao Cao," Issei couldn't hold back the grin.

He threw off Li Qin (who shouted in protest but, hey, she went along with it when she could have remained still) and approached the leader of the Reincarnated Heroes. Cao Cao met him halfway and they grasped another's arms. Cao Cao gave a firm squeeze. Issei was on the edge of crushing his arm out of friendly spite.

"It's been too long, shishou," Cao Cao's smile was as excited as it was carnivorous. Issei could feel the battle spirit radiating off of him. He wanted to test his mettle against Issei since the last time they met.

"Please don't call me that," Issei said blandly, as he had said it hundreds of times before. Falling into this habit sent him a wave of nostalgia. He released Cao Cao (whose bicep was beginning to bruise already) and stepped around him to gaze at the rest of the Hero Faction.

It hadn't been too long. But it was long enough for him to see the difference in them since last they met. They were older now, if not physically then differently in experience. Their crusade had hardened them.

"Ise," Rias stood up and approached his side. When she rested a hand on his arm, he instantly noticed Cao Cao's eyes narrow with disgust. "You know these people?"

Issei watched Cao Cao closely while responding, "Yeah. Before I knew Sona, I used to hang around these guys. It's actually how I became a hero in the first place. This is Cao Cao, leader of the Hero Faction. Eh, Cao Cao, this is…"

He paused as he realized his blunder. The World was warning him. If he were to announce Rias as his fiancée right now, terrible, _terrible_ doom would fall onto him. And not because the Hero Faction were a group of human purists—

Issei could slaughter all of them with a sneeze.

—but because his harem would do something unspeakable onto him. There was a time and place to announce this and it wasn't now. He was already in deep trouble for Rossweisse.

"I know of the Devil, Rias Gremory," Cao Cao said in a cold and passionless voice. He looked at Rias like a sick person and didn't want to catch whatever she had. "You will have to excuse me, shishou, if I am not appropriately courteous to your… pet. We cannot forgive Devils for their history. I hold myself back only because I am in your presence."

Issei was really tempted to knock him into next Tuesday. He had forgotten Cao Cao hated anything non-human almost as much as Issei hated the Vampire Predator. He had a policy to stab first and ask questions never.

"And you not having your _stick_ has nothing to do with it?" Issei challenged with some of his draconian essence leaking out.

Cao Cao leered over to Li Qin, who gave him a beaming smile.

"…It's currently confiscated," Cao Cao admitted. "As well as having the remainder of our Sacred Gears and abilities sealed away by Predator Xi'Long's doing."

"Um… excuse me!"

Issei looked over to Cao Cao's left. There, approaching steadily and trying to make sure all of her clothes were straight and presentable, was…

"Is that…?" he breathed out, almost gushing. "Le Fay-chan! Wow! I wouldn't have recognized you without your hat!"

"Ise-sama remembers me?!" Le Fay Pendragon, a blonde girl in the witch's hat and cape, brightened up. "I… I only met Ise-sama a few number of times. I'm honored you remembered me so dearly. I was wondering if… if it's not too much trouble… and while I have the chance…"

From within the confines of her cape did she pull out—

His brow twitched while his face was frozen in his gushing smile.

She pulled out a _Red Blur_ notebook. He knew as an aspiring magician did she always doodle magic circles in a notebook. She carried one with her at all times on the chance she suddenly had inspiration. This one was worn with the cardboard cover creasing and the ink peeling off. But it was the only material she had.

"…Yeah," he said woodenly. "Sure. Let me just find—"

She whipped out a pen from seemingly nowhere. Her arm was a blur with how fast she drew it out from… wherever she hid it away. Her eyes were sparkling at him.

He took it, signed it as _Reddobura_ , and handed the contents back to her.

"Thank you, thank you, Ise-sama!" she lit up the room with her childish excitement. She looked at her notebook with newfound glory and praise.

"Ise," Rias chimed at his side. She poked his cheek a little too hard while keeping up her pleasant smile. "I hope you weren't planning anything scandalous with someone like this."

"The only shorty I like is Koneko-chan," his voice was only slightly muffled. Oddly enough, Koneko didn't respond. He at least expected her to throw a pillow at him. "Besides, she was _way_ too young back then. Also… Arthur-san would have killed me."

"I would," confirmed the blonde with glasses in the far back. "But my sister would never forgive me if I had."

"I would stop cooking dinner for you, Nii-sama," Le Fay said with a cute pout.

See, that was the sort of childish pout that was appropriate. The one Li Qin pulled off, while cute in its own way, didn't do the entire facial feature justice. Le Fay had it golden. Five stars!

"Siegfried," Issei nodded to him. He then went along, looking and greeting each Hero individually. "Heracles. Bikou. Georg. Leonardo. Jeanne—"

Everyone jumped out of their seats.

A sword flew through the air, aimed at his head. It narrowly missed Cao Cao and almost made almost pierced through Issei's skull. He knew it was coming. He didn't need the World to warn him.

He caught the blade with his hand. His resistance had grown tremendously since last they met. He could now catch it with his bare hands without the blade cutting into him or the holy residue burning him. Even with the attributes of a Devil was the holy affinity in her Sacred Gear not strong enough.

He had God to thank for that. If he didn't fight Her in Kyoto then Jeanne's sword would have stung.

"How in the neh?!" Li Qin threw up her arms. According to Cao Cao's testimony, Li Qin had sealed away all of their Sacred Gears. Jeanne shouldn't have been able to create this sword.

"It's alright," he said with mild laughter. "She always does this."

Sometimes, while perversity can break the foundations of reality, the unfair force which sought to crush perversity was just was rule-breaking.

"Don't look my way," Jeanne barked back with a crimson face. She was hiding behind Heracles, making sure the massive Hero was covering her chest and groin areas from his eyes. "Don't say my name. Don't even _think_ about me. Don't think I haven't forgotten the last time!"

Rias was looking at him. Her eyes were piercing through his skull with an unspoken question. The other girls in his harem were doing the same thing. They all demanded answers.

"Have you perfected that technique?" Cao Cao asked with an almost scholarly intrigue. "The effectiveness of that is astounding! Do you know how many times we came across a tedious enemy because they were wearing enchanted armor?"

"Don't give him any ideas!" Jeanne shouted.

"What happened with Jeanne was a one-time deal," Issei sighed with extreme disappointment. "I'm afraid if I ever tried on anyone else I would completely incinerate them. I don't want that…"

"…I would claim complete incineration is vastly more efficient than destroying their attire," Cao Cao grossed.

"Why am I not surprised…?" Rias muttered below her breath.

"This is why you and I are different," Issei argued. "You don't get it. When I come across the stupidly rare monster girl with the correct monster-girl ratio, I only want to blow off her clothes! When she has a sweet pair of oppai, I don't want her reduced to ash! I want those oppai to be exposed for me to see! And when she realizes what I've done, I want her to go all _KYAAAAA_ and pointlessly hide her innocence, which makes her that much more erotic!"

Cao Cao was giving him a flat look, "Yes. I recall this discussion. And I also recall there being no such thing as any monster who falls under your… _eroge_ fantasies."

Issei scoffed at the man. How dare he?! There was one perfect example.

His finger pointed directly at the Nekoshou he had saved for last.

And then… he _really_ looked at her.

Kuroka was the perfect cat-girl. That was to say, she was mostly humanoid with pearly skin, long black hair, and a few feline features such as cat ears, two tails, and golden eyes. But what made her the greatest wasn't just because she was a Japanese beauty. No.

Her tits were big, if not bigger than Akeno's. And they weren't bulbous flabs of meat. They were _perfect_ in shape and volume.

And… over the years, they had gotten even grander.

"I was worried you had forgotten about me, nya," she said with a teasing laugh.

Forget about her? Blasphemy.

She was… maybe his first love. Or maybe his first crush. She was the first person to show him genuine kindness. While she wasn't a part of the Hero Faction for her Youkai blood, she showed up to their gatherings here and there. She was mostly a wanderer.

Did he love her? No. But he couldn't deny he cared for her.

"…Bwah," he said with his mouth hanging open and drool slipping through.

Kuroka was dressed in a black kimono with a loose obi. It left _so much_ of her cleavage spilling out. Her breasts were ready to fall out at any second. If there was the smallest amount of disturbance in the fabric keeping them upright then they would pool out. All it would take was a simple shift in her posture or a tug on the fabric. But _something_ kept them from being revealed. Magic, he could only assume.

She smiled at him. She knew he was looking at her chest only. He honestly didn't care right now.

…He cared somewhat when Rias shut his mouth for him. But it still wasn't enough for him to look away.

"Hello, hello, Hyoudou-kyan," Kuroka greeted as she sashayed to the front of the group. "Look at how big you've gotten. If I knew you would turn out like this, I might have kept my promise to you."

"…Bwah?" was all he could say.

She cackled to herself for a moment. She was enjoying his presence.

"Get away from him."

He snapped out of his stupor when he sensed Koneko move from her seat and wrap her arms around his waist opposite of Rias. Her Nekoshou features were released, revealing her ears and single tail. She was glaring up at Kuroka while tightening her hold on Issei.

She was shivering. The Gift of Seduction was telling him she was terrified for him. His draconian senses told him she had nothing but spite for Kuroka. Spite… and fear.

Kuroka's smile shifted. It was no longer sultry. It was still lovely but… also saddened. "Hello, Shirone."

He immediately felt Rias tense at his side. Yumi took a few steps forward to be near Rias, which was noticed by Cao Cao.

"Hello… Nee-san," Koneko said coldly.

Issei looked around like a fish out of water. He looked at Cao Cao, to Kuroka, tried to make eye contact with Koneko, and then over to Rias.

"…Shirone was Koneko's name before I gave her her name," Rias answered while never looking away from Kuroka.

"It's true," Kuroka affirmed with a leering smile. "Thank you for giving her such a lovely pet name, by the way. It's exactly what I would expect from a spoiled Devil child."

"I like my name," Koneko argued.

"Hold on," Issei threw up his arms for everyone to stop before claws (in a possible literal sense here) went flying. "Koneko… is your sister. Kuroka is your sister. You two are both related."

"Yes," they both answered shortly.

"But you look nothing alike!" he said while scratching his head in puzzlement.

Kuroka didn't react. Koneko did. She flinched as though stricken. One hand went to her chest while her eyes glared daggers at Kuroka's bosom. Her frustrations were rising.

In honesty… that wasn't what he meant. Yeah, Kuroka was _stacked_ while Koneko was… on the short end. But he was also going to comment on their height, hair color, and general personality. Kuroka was the stereotypical stray cat while Koneko was definitely a domesticated cat. They were like night and day!

He was going to go bald if he had to keep scratching his head this much on the same day.

"…I see then," he said after a moment. "Koneko-chan was the one you were talking about that time…"

He rested a hand on Koneko's back and pushed her close to him. It was less than a centimeter based on how tight she was clinging onto him but the sentimentality behind it wasn't missed by her. She looked up at him while he kept his stare locked on Kuroka.

"Ise."

Issei's head snapped around. The constant awareness perk of a Predator didn't alert him. It always told him whenever someone was looking at him or even talking about him. Even this deep engaged in conversation would the World make sure he knew what was going on.

For example, Rolan referenced him six times within the past hour.

He didn't know when Richard stepped out of the guest room and returned to the living room.

"I need you," he said in a voice that couldn't be argued with. "Come with me and bring the Predator Pieces."

"Can't it wait?" he argued anyways.

There was a flash of sympathy in Richard's eyes, "There's not enough time. This demands your attention as both a Predator and as a Primordial Lawmaker. You're the only one who can do this."

He had a feeling it had something to do with Ophis and her unresponsive form.

"Richard-san," he said while holding both Rias and Koneko a little tighter. "This right now is more important. Whatever it is can wait."

"…The Queen will die if we wait any longer," he said in a low voice. It wasn't a statement. It was an offer. He was asking what Issei would rather do. Would he allow Ophis to die or spend more time with his harem?

The answer was an obvious one.

Richard saw it. His eyes flashed with something unreadable. Eventually, he nodded and started to move away from the room.

"Ise-sempai," Koneko tugged on his shirt. Confidence burned in her eyes, "Go and do what you must. Kiba-sempai can protect us. I… need to talk with Nee-san."

Her confidence slipped slightly.

"I won't leave you like this," Issei shook his head. "What kind of person would I be if I left you when you needed me most?"

Her eyes lit up at his response.

"Ise," Rias patted his arm again. "Koneko's right. There are more important things that need your attention. We'll be fine. Kiba is more than enough. Plus, I don't think the Valkyrie Predator would be so rude as to allow anyone to be harmed while you're away."

"I will eject them into the Gap before they even _think_ about it!" Li Qin confirmed.

"Do not assume we are as devious as your kind," Cao Cao spoke up. "You have my word the entirety of the Hero Faction will behave appropriately. No one shall be harmed by us unless attacked first."

He didn't want to go. He really didn't. It had very little to do with wanting to put his trust in Li Qin and Yumi. Yumi he could definitely trust at least. He was skeptical about Li Qin. In any case, the safety of his harem wasn't the problem.

He had no obligation to do anything for Ophis. She was the leader of the Khaos Brigade. If anything, it would be better off if she died.

"The Queen is not a part of this game, Ddraig," Tiamat spoke from her corner of the room. She had remained absolutely silent the same way a spectator would attend a boring event. But now she spoke as someone with actual concern.

He _really_ didn't want to hear anything about her side of existence right now.

"…I'll be back," he said.

Rias gave him a smile mixed with understanding as well as reliability. She will be able to manage things on her own without him. It was her job as _main wife_.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips, making Kuroka's smile curve and Cao Cao grimace.

He paused at the last second before leaving. Koneko had let go of him but… he felt like a gentle head pat wasn't enough. It would be almost… fake. Callous. He treasured Koneko just as much as he did with any of the other girls. It wouldn't be fair to her.

There's also the fact that first kisses were always precious. He didn't want to give Koneko something so quick and under these circumstances.

Instead, he lowered himself and pecked her cheek. She hadn't expected it. When he raised himself, she was looking at him with wide eyes and a crimson face. He stepped away after that and exited the room.

He could feel the smile radiating from Kuroka at his back. She was feeling delighted at his sign of affection. It wasn't directed at him. It was directed at Koneko. She was happy for her.

"Don't worry, Lancelet," Morgan said as soon as he left. "You'll get your chance one day."

"For the love of God, Morgan!" Lancelet nearly lost it. She was on the verge of strangling her partner.

"This is quite the situation," Cao Cao said while examining the room. His eyes flashed as he spotted each individual faction. "Four of the Knights of the Round, the Strongest Dragon King, and two of the remaining Predators. All of which in the same room."

"Oh," Rias put up a challenging smile as she looked at him. "I think you forgot something, Cao Cao-san."

He chuckled lightly, "I haven't, Rias Gremory. I do not see you as a threat, even in my weakened state. The only one I see as a worthy foe would be your Knight, the Siege Perilous Predator. But I understand my position. I gave Hyoudou-shishou my word."

"And with that…" Yumi approached and stood at Rias's side. "If you're unaware, Predator Xi'Long summoned you here to explain to us what happened in Kyoto."

Cao Cao's eyes sharpened as he took in Yumi's profile. He was proud but not arrogant. He wouldn't dare to challenge something leagues above him. His eyes flicked over to Li Qin for a moment. He then bowed his head and shut his eyes, coming to a decision burdened onto him as a leader.

"I speak only due to my lingering respect for Hyoudou-shishou," he said slowly when he looked up. "I will also let you know, Rias Gremory, I despise you for taking away what humanity remained from him. Ever since you turned him into a Devil did you kill the hero he once was. However, I will excuse it considering his duties as a Predator transcend his duties as a hero. He is the ultimate hero in my eyes."

"If that were the case," Sona cut in, "then why did you align yourself with the Khaos Brigade?"

Cao Cao looked annoyed at having been interrupted. But still he answered, "We all followed the Ouroboros Dragon. The Khaos Brigade was never truly a formed organization, even to this day. She told us if we followed her then we can each achieve our goals. Others joined but kept to themselves. We all had the same objective but different goals. It was why we took advantage of the attack on Kyoto.

"But we did not know of Sinner's scheme to betray Ophis. Sinner— the man you might know as Adams McCain. We were tasked with capturing the Kyuubi under his orders. It was all a ploy to have us removed from his side. While we hold no allegiance to the Ouroboros, we favor betrayal even less."

He paused as he looked over at his teammates. He wasn't holding a silent conversation with them. He was thinking to himself. His hands rested at his hip. He was making a decision for the entirety of the group rather than consorting with them first.

At the same time, they all looked at him with trust. They trusted his judgment without question.

"I would like to make a proposal for Hyoudou-shishou," Cao Cao said boldly. "I share with him all the secrets I have learned within the Khaos Brigade. In exchange, I seek refuge and protection against all prosecution for my involvement with the Khaos Brigade. I also demand our freedom to remain human— or, in Kuroka's place, to remain free from servitude."

"…You can't be serious," Rias said.

"That's a tall demand," Sona said while crossing her arms. "You want all governing factions to just _ignore_ anything you've done for the past number of years?"

"Ise isn't even a Demon Lord yet," Rias countered. "He doesn't have that kind of power. Even if my brother pardons you, there will be other factions out there that will demand justice through us. What makes you think Ise can protect you from that?"

"Suppose we can make it happen," Sona waved a hand, cutting off Rias before they could lose their ace. "Suppose we convince the other factions to leave you alone. What's to stop some rogue group from coming after you? You must have made all sorts of enemies in the public world as much as the underground one."

Cao Cao smirked at them, "My demand doesn't go towards you Devils, Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri. My demand is for the Dragoon Predator. So long as I have his word as a Predator, the only force on the planet who could threaten us would be the Khaos Brigade.

"Know your place. If he was ever serious about his position, you Devils would become his thrall just like you were with your ancient ancestors."

"…Ise isn't like that."

Cao Cao slowly turned his head towards the source of protest.

Asia clutched the hem of her skirt while giving her best glare at Cao Cao. It held no animosity at all. If anything, _at best,_ it was disappointed and hurt by his words. "Ise is the nicest person I've met. We know he's strong. We know what he could do. We… We saw it when he fought… the Vampire."

Her face was sad for a moment as she recalled the incident. It hardened back into determination as she stared back at Cao Cao. "B-But! He would never abuse his powers! Everything he does is to protect us! I… I don't know who you are or why you're with the bad guys… But Ise still sees you as his friend.

"If you promise to be good from now on, I know Ise will protect you from anything!"

Cao Cao stared at her for a moment. Something escaped from the back of his throat. He covered his face with his hand, threw his head back, and began to laugh without control. Some thought he was insulting Asia. But the blonde girl was never fazed by it. She kept looking at him.

"Former Holy Maiden," he said at the decline of his uproar, "I could argue with you on the philosophy of _good_ to the ends of time. But… I fear that end is drawing near. Very well. Not only shall we provide all the information we carry regarding the Khaos Brigade, but we shall carry our missions with the mindset of morally good as is determined by Hyoudou-shishou.

"Will that suffice?" he asked, in an almost mocking tone, to Rias.

"…In the end, it will be up to Ise to decide," was all she could say.

"I'm sure Hyoudou-kyan will let us stay," Kuroka purred. "Shirone, looks like we'll be catching up for the next—"

"Don't talk to me," she hissed. "And stay away from Ise-sempai."

Kuroka's smile never shifted.

"Lady Xi'Long," Kayla leaned over and whispered into the Valkyrie Predator's ear. "Shouldn't you say something? Didn't you bring in the prisoners to make them talk? Sir Rolan isn't going to be happy if they're gone all of a sudden."

Li Qin blinked a few times, "Neh? You don't know? I thought you knew too. Trist was the one who suggested I get Puppy to do the interrogation. And look! They're already going to spill the beans! Isn't that great?"

Kayla exchanged a look with her partner.

Trist looked back and shrugged. She went back to observing the exchange between Devils and Heroes.

0-0-0

Issei entered the guest room on the second floor. While it wasn't as spacious and lavish as his personal room, it was still outlandishly overpriced compared to his original room.

Ophis lay sprawled on one side of the king-sized bed. He had to focus to see if she was even breathing. His draconian hearing could hardly pick up her heartbeat.

Richard stood at her side, holding up her arm by her wrist to check her pulse while controlling some sort of spell with his other hand. He had noticed Issei enter but didn't comment on it.

"…You told me she was the leader of the Brigade," Issei began. He put the wooden box full of the Predator Pieces down onto the small table and approached the bed. "Did you forget everything they have done to the planet already?"

"Did you forget I told you Ophis is a defender of the omniverse just as you are a defender of the planet?" Richard stated. It wasn't a counter or a mockery. It was a genuine concern.

"I didn't threaten the World by almost waking Trihexa prematurely," Issei countered.

"I will defend the Queen, Ise," Richard stated as he put down Ophis hand. "Just as you would defend anyone else downstairs. Ophis… is a dear friend."

"…None of my friends tried to kill everything I loved," he retorted bitterly.

Richard wasn't upset. He was patient. "Did you know Ophis rejected Chase's request to eject Adams McCain? If she had agreed, Adams would have gone to another Outside realm and continued his scheme there. An entire omniverse other than our own would have succumbed to the same fate. She couldn't allow that. And she knew Adams would return after Chase won the first time. The Khaos Brigade was formed to lure Adams and control him."

He looked down at Ophis. She was much older than when Issei had last seen her. When they first met, she was a little girl. Now she was in her late teens, either at Issei's age or slightly older. Everything about her had grown in proportion. Richard had dressed her in new clothes to fit her significantly more mature figure.

Despite his hatred for her and the Brigade, Issei couldn't help but look at the rising and falling of her chest. Old habits… just won't die.

"How do you know this?" Issei demanded.

Richard looked at him squarely, "I don't. This is all speculation."

"You don't know," Issei breathed out. He shook his head. "You don't know! Then why should I believe anything you have to say? Richard-san… look at you. Ever since Ophis was put in danger are you acting completely different. Is this one of those moments when you switched between Donald Douglas to Richard Royals? Is this a new personality? What's your name now then? Or… is this who you really are and have been lying to me the entire time?"

Richard looked at him with the patience of someone who didn't belong on this plane of existence. "Most of the answer is yes."

"Most?" Issei's brows scrunched in skepticism and confusion.

"There is a madness," Richard shook his head. "It is the result of a mistake I made in the past. There's not enough time to explain. Do you still have the Queen Piece? It might be the only one capable of saving her."

Issei didn't move from his spot, "Richard-san, you haven't answered any of my questions. Why should I save Ophis? Let's say you're telling the truth— though it's impossible to believe you since you were working with Rolan the whole time. Let's say Ophis is a… like a Predator to all existence. She still tried to kill my World. Why should I trust she won't do it again once this is over?"

"I could argue with you to try and see through her perspective," Richard began in a calm and slow tone. A prepared tone. "The Brigade she had built has betrayed her and has gone out of her control. But that isn't what you wish to hear, is it? No, I can see it in your eyes. You have no interest in learning about the Brigade at all.

"You're making an excuse to avoid your duties as Seventh Predator, aren't you?"

Issei didn't blink. He stared directly at Richard. The man, in turn, did not glower at him or judge him. If anything, the man's look softened to something of understanding. It was as though he had been in the position before and knew exactly what Issei was going through.

"If I cannot convince you as a Predator," he said in a steady tone, "nor if I can convince you as a Primordial Lawmaker, let me try to speak to the boy I once knew. I understand you are still young. You know nothing about the workings of the omniverse. You still follow the logic of a mundane human. There is no way you can comprehend the machinations at play or find loyalty for a Queen you never served.

"In your eyes, Ophis is evil. I cannot excuse the wrongs she has done on her end just as much as you can forgive Chase for what he has done to you directly. I am not asking you to forgive her. I am not asking you to pardon her. I am asking you, as the boy I once knew who craved attention in a gray world, to save her. If you can save her, there will be more treasure and glory than you will know what to do with."

"…That was then," Issei said in a low voice. He crossed his arms while glancing at Ophis. "Richard-san, in case you haven't noticed, I haven't been a hero in a while. I don't need to be. I have everything I need right now. I have the one thing I craved more than some internet rumors or late night talk show gossip.

"I have a family. I don't need anything else."

"And you will lose it," Richard replied in a somber voice.

"You mean if I save Ophis then all of my problems will be solved?" Issei scoffed at the idea. "Richard-san, get real. I'm more likely to doom the planet if I save Ophis. I have no guarantee she won't run off and continue to free Trihexa."

"No one will blame you if you choose for Ophis to wither away," Richard said with a slightly bowed head. "But no one will aid you thereafter. The Queen is too reputable across the omniverse. Allow her to live and all will know what you have done. They will rally to you. They may help you protect you and yours. _I_ will be the first to follow you."

He looked at Richard for a long moment.

"So that's it then," Issei muttered. "If I don't do anything, you'll never help me again?"

"Would you forgive me if I allowed anyone of yours to die by choice?" he countered in a simple tone. "I will not hate you for it, Ise. But I will never be able to forget the choice you make."

Issei didn't want to argue against that factor. He didn't understand why Richard was being like this. He didn't understand why the man had that much devotion for someone who was trying to wipe out all life on the planet.

He couldn't ask the World for guidance. Whatever he chose wouldn't change a thing. Trihexa was still around the corner and the Evensong was approaching before its deadline.

He didn't want to listen to Richard. The man had been working for Rolan and Issei didn't know for how long. The Mad Archmage was supposed to be a neutral party who did favors for the other Predators. It was how and why Issei was able to make contact with him.

"Tell me, Ise," Richard spoke up when the silence dragged out too long. He was trying for another approach. There was almost desperation in his voice as he watched Ophis. "What are your current plans with your harem?"

He eyed Richard with a raised brow, "That depends…"

"Nothing escapes this room," he said quickly.

"I don't have any plans," Issei said, still watching him for any reaction. "You already figured it out so I might as well say it. I don't plan on doing anything as a Predator anymore. I just want to live my life in peace until the Evensong. I would rather enjoy what time I have left with them than away fighting a battle we can't win."

"And it would seem Miss Sitri has joined your entourage," Richard commented.

"…Yeah?" Issei's eyes narrowed.

"Chase will not give her up," Richard crossed his arms while continuing to observe Ophis' condition. "The Rating Game will still be scheduled no matter how inappropriately placed it is in light of current events. You will still need to gather a team to oppose him."

"This is your sales pitch?" Issei gave him a bland look. "What? You're going to join my team? I thought you were a neutral party."

"And I am maintaining that role by participating as a guest announcer during the match," he stated. "No, Ise. I am suggesting you take Ophis as your Queen since the Divine Beast Predator is no longer with us."

Richard _did_ suggest the Queen Piece was needed to save her. But…

"What if I say no?" Issei continued to give him the same look. "What else are you planning to offer me? Look, Richard-san, I'm going to just tell you no matter what—"

"Her body," he said with a shrug.

Issei didn't reply as his eyes flashed at Ophis' form. Particularly at her breasts.

What a dirty fucking trick. It _almost_ worked. Almost. Like… the smallest nudge and Issei might have agreed with it.

The Gift of Seduction at his back was burning. It was urging him to take Ophis for himself.

"Lawmakers will flock towards you in awe and praise," Richard locked eyes with him. "They will never forget what you have done for their Queen. The World you live in today will acknowledge you as the one to bind the Ouroboros Dragon God into servitude. She is one of the few forces in existence that can oppose the Predators in their entirety. Doors will be open to you. It's possible even the Khaos Brigade will think twice before challenging you.

"Most importantly, the Queen will never forget it. Her infinite existence will resume because of your doing. She will be indebted to you for an eternity."

The Gift of Seduction tugged on his back again. He could feel it trying to communicate with him in its own way. It was trying to confirm Richard's last words. It was trying to soothe Issei's mind.

It irked him because he knew it was right. It wasn't something he could doubt. It was a piece of cosmic formulation. It was a science branded onto his back. It didn't have an opinion or a hidden intention. He knew the Gift of Seduction was given to him because of Ophis and it was trying to tell him Ophis would be _his_ always.

He also needed to think about his girls. On one hand, having Ophis at his side might instigate the Khaos Brigade into attacking him to clean up their mess. But on the other, and assuming what Richard said would come true, the rest of the Primordial Lawmakers who were still loyal to Ophis as their Queen would support him.

"…What do I need to do?" Issei said with a sigh. He had been stubborn to the last straw but he collapsed once he put his girls before him. In the long run, this would be better than letting Ophis die. Having someone as powerful as her under his command would be a blessing when he couldn't be around. In fact, it was the main reason why he went into the Familiar Forest in the first place.

"Nothing as drastic as with Kiba," Richard said. "But I will require the Queen Piece. I will use a concentration spell to enhance the effects as well as to remove the safety locks. Someone like Ophis, who is already a Dragon, can withstand the unstable pressure at critical max output. I only need you to use the Boosted Gear's [Transfer] ability."

Issei put a hand over his mouth. He almost puked at the sheer mention of _that_ fiasco. He did what he needed and crossed the room, if not to distract him from the haunting memory.

"What are you doing?" he asked once picking up the box and undoing the lock. All draconian pieces were in place sans the king and knights.

"Giving us more room to work with while building a prism," Richard answered as he carried Ophis from the bed and laid her down onto the floor. He checked his surroundings, moved a few furnishings out of the way, and took a few steps away from Ophis. "I need you to stand near her while I maintain the field. I can't allow any energy to escape."

"…I can't believe I'm doing this," Issei muttered as he withdrew the Queen Piece and placed the box back onto the dresser. He crossed the room and knelt down beside Ophis.

It was strange. As soon as he had taken a step did all of his senses alert him. It suddenly felt like he had stepped through a door into a compact space and Richard had shut the door behind him. He could easily break free but that wasn't the point.

"Please proceed," Richard said as he raised his hands and spaced out his feet. His palms were facing Issei, ready to begin working his magic.

Issei fiddled around with the Queen Piece a little longer. The fleshy, scaly surface throbbed at his touch. He could feel it pulse with power and warmth like a heart. Richard said he was going to alter it somehow to help Ophis but the man never touched it.

He shook his head and let the piece rest on top of Ophis' chest. With the gentlest of pushes did he insert the piece through her fabric and into her body.

Ophis' eyes looked his way. She didn't react any further.

"Right, well," Issei muttered to himself. He raised his hands over her chest, unsure of himself where he should place them. Should he place them over her heart like performing CPR or should he put them on her stomach? In the end, he decided to milk it and say it was the most logical place at the time.

He put them right on top of her twin mounds.

"…I don't know what you just did," Richard said as he observed Issei's hands. "But your synchronization percentage just shot past the fifty marker."

"Yeah, I don't know what that means," Issei said while staring up at Richard.

"The highest potential of energy Ophis would have absorbed is at fifty percent with the other half being rejected by her body's natural defenses."

"Are you reading this on a chart I can't see or something? You're not wearing your glasses."

"I'm connected directly to the prism maintaining the barrier. Is there any way you can improve it further? The more energy she receives, the more stable her Quantum Identity Cortex will become."

Issei didn't know what that was but it sounded important. He heard the term before in the Kyoto assembly. In any case, he wasn't sure what he did himself. All he did was put his hands over her breasts.

He tested his theory by giving them a little squeeze.

"A-Any different?" he asked with heavy skepticism.

"It fluctuates in the sixties," Richard answered in all seriousness. "It's an improvement and above my expectations. But if it can be improved further…"

There… There was no way. It couldn't be that simple. Issei was a pervert who loved breasts so he was really just dicking around. He didn't think touching Ophis' oppai like this would actually improve the chances of charging her.

Maybe it was like a car battery? He had to hook himself to the points of focus?

Like with Sona, he found Ophis nipples and pressed his fingers to them. Ophis' face twitched.

"Even better," Richard said. "We're at eighty percent. I'm going to start the ritual now so… Wait. What's going on? The numbers are climbing?"

After hearing the numbers, Issei pushed the theory further. He pressed his fingers a little harder, letting them sink into her mounds.

Ophis' hand moved. Her fingers clutched against the carpet. A slight red color began to rise up to her cheeks.

For such an emotionless girl, Issei's heart was starting to race from watching her reaction.

"Ninety-five…" Richard said with awe. "Ninety-nine… A hundred and two?! How is that— One-thirty?! One-eighty…"

Power began to rise out of Issei from sheer excitement. Ophis was having a womanly reaction to his touch. It was starting to break her emotionless and almost dead expression. Her lips were starting to curl. Her eyes were beginning to glaze over. The red in her cheeks was becoming more apparent.

Her entire body shuddered. Like an electric pulse that climbed up her spine, her back wriggled until it reached her head.

"Hnn," escaped through her lips.

Something snapped within Issei. Like a dam that had kept the floods of power at bay, they crumbled apart from an impact they weren't built to withstand. Red filled the area as a torrent of his draconian essence exploded out of his body. It formed a storm that circled around the two of them.

"Two hundred percent!" Richard shouted. "Ise, do it now!"

Issei had never used the Transfer ability. He had never heard of it until Richard had brought it up to him a few days ago.

It didn't matter. Like everything else, Issei knew exactly what it was and how to use it to its full potential. It was the same when he called upon his Sacred Gear the first time. It was the same when he unleashed his first Dragon Shot. It was the same when he brought out his Gift of Flight.

 **"Transfer!"** he commanded as easily and as naturally as his first breath of air.

All of the power compressed, sank into Issei's being, and channeled down his arms and out through the two fingers pressed against Ophis' nipples. The top of her dress was incinerated at the discharge. Her back arched as though receiving an electric jolt. Ophis gasped while her hands clawed against the floor and feet pointing.

She was breathing hard with a heavy flush. Her lifeless eyes were looking up at him with little focus.

"That, wasn't gentle," she said in her monotone voice.

Issei had to look away. His face was burning with a bit of sweat slipping through. This whole ordeal made him a little too excited. And with the way Ophis was posed, on the floor, sweating and panting, _and_ the famous words she last spoke…

He needed to find an outlet. Fast.

"D-Did it work?" Issei distracted himself by asking Richard. Looking at another dude was a good idea at the moment. Looking at another guy would definitely calm him down better than any cold shower. He felt like if he looked at any of the girls outside then he would lose his mind and devour all of them.

Richard was flexing his fingers while crouching down. His eyes were examining them with his eyes glancing up at Ophis every so often. No, he wasn't just checking them after using his magic. He was still currently casting. Did that mean the ritual didn't finish?

"The Queen Piece is active and is running properly," he explained. "With the energy you provided in the jumpstart, Ophis should be able to use it to produce her own energy. It's also stabilized her QIC for the moment."

Issei sat down while running a hand through his hair, "So everything's fine?"

Richard had a complicated expression, "I don't know. McCain stole a lot from Ophis. He took too much of her authority and identity. For you to understand… Ophis has less than ten percent of her existence."

"I, am alive," Ophis said, sitting up and not caring for her modesty. She was instead examining her new, older form. "Sinner, has robbed me of my Marks. I, cannot connect to my Law anymore. I, still possess my body. That is enough."

They both watched her examine herself. She was intrigued. Her eyes widened the smallest of fractions when she cupped her breasts and fiddled around with them. Issei nearly sputtered at the sight.

When her hand fell to the center of her chest, she looked straight at Issei, "This is strange. I, am not a Devil. Why?"

"There isn't a Devil in existence that could reincarnate you," Richard was the one to answer. "What we used were custom pieces based on the Evil Pieces. They were designed by Chase and then finished by myself. Though… as I am now, I wish I could have worked on them further. The best I could do was jailbreak one of them to accept you and your overwhelming power."

"Then, what am I?"

"The same," he answered with a slight shrug. "Because you're already a Dragon— or, rather, a _Dravirik Lae'cueri_ , your biological composition hasn't been altered at all. It's your Quantum Identity Cortex that was… adjusted."

Her eyes slowly drifted across the room to meet Richard's.

Richard was hesitant to answer her silent question, "In order to ensure you didn't fade from existence… I had to find a way to anchor you to this World. The device I used belongs to a set called Predator Pieces. They were designed to enhance any natural denizen of the planet with the cognitive awareness provided by the World. Chase purposed them to create artificial Predators."

Issei remembered when Richard told him this story. But he remembered when Richard said it was the Ruler who commissioned his project. Of course, Rolan is the Ruler of the World.

"Then," Ophis spoke, paused, and continued, "I, am bound to this World?"

Richard paused for a brief moment. It looked like he was bracing himself to share bad news to someone he cared about dearly. Yes, that was exactly what this was; Issei could see it. After all, Richard had given his all to persuade Issei into saving her.

"It means if you wish to continue to pursue Great Red, you will fade away," Richard said grimly.

Ophis was silent herself. Her hands fell to her lap while she stared into open space. She didn't breathe or blink. She remained as lifeless as Issei had known her. He couldn't tell if she was upset by the news.

This news effected Issei. Richard should have opened the argument with this. If he had said this, Issei would have been more inclined to go along with it.

It meant if Ophis continued to try and awaken Trihexa, if the World were to vanish, she would go along with it.

"That… is an unfair condition, Arrixam," Ophis said. She spoke quietly while matching eyes with him. Her eyes darted down to examine her hands again. She stared at them, flexing and curling them with newfound enlightenment. The gravity of her situation was starting to settle.

"You are alive," Richard could only shrug.

"…I, am alive," she repeated with the smallest tinge of sourness. It could have been imagined by how monotone she sounded.

"What does this all mean?" Issei asked once he felt their conversation could open up. He _was_ the reason she's still existing. "I mean, what is Ophis supposed to do now? She was the leader of the Brigade. Will you hand her over to Rolan? Or do you plan on hiding her back in Wales?"

Both _guests_ , and he was using the term lightly, turned their heads his way.

"Will you not accept Ophis as your Queen?" Richard asked, lifting a hand to gesture at Issei. "You surrendered one of your pieces for her sake. I was under the impression you had accepted her under your care."

Ophis stood slowly, if not a little wobbly— her arms waved around to catch her balance. She stood straight, standing a few centimeters under him. Her dead eyes stared up at Issei.

"I, do not forget my debts," she said. She stuck one foot in front of her and spread her arms out at her hips. Her fingers spread. She had assumed the pose whenever a Primordial Lawmaker greeted her. However, she did not bow. "If you desire to use me until the end of this World, I will comply. Now that I am… weakened, you and [Entropy] are next to the crown. I, will follow you. If only you defeat Baka Red in my stead."

Only then did she bow. Her arms extended further as she tipped her body. It was liken to the spreading of wings before flight.

Issei frowned as he shook his head. "I don't think I can accept you. I don't get what's going on, but I know you were behind everything. You tried to awaken Trihexa. Doing that would have brought the Evensong. _All_ of the Predators would have been wiped out and Trihexa will wipe all life just by breathing! And you were going to let this thing out of its cage!"

Ophis raised herself. She continued to look at him with a still gaze.

"A Queen is someone I can trust over anyone else," he said in a low voice. "Amelia Rosewood was my Queen. I trusted more than just my life with her. I trusted she would protect my home and everyone I loved. And she kept that promise until it killed her. Can I trust you the same?"

"Yes," Ophis said without hesitation. Nor without the conviction to reassure him.

"How?" he demanded through narrow eyes.

She lifted one arm and pointed a finger at his waist. She wasn't pointing at his abdomen. He felt the twitch of the wings behind his back.

"You bear the Mark of Seduction for… gaining my attention," she said, pausing and blinking once halfway. The hiccup was a rare moment of emotion from her. Especially with the slight tint of pink in her cheeks. "You, and I, are bound together. I, cannot go against you any further than you can go against me. Use them. Demand anything of me. I cannot go against your command."

The Gift of Seduction twitched again. He could feel it confirm her statement. If he paid the price and activated the wings in similar fashion to his Gift of Flight, he could pull Ophis under the greatest compulsion in all existence. It would do more against her than it had when used against the fake Ayame. Only because Ophis was the reason why he had the Gift of Seduction in the first place.

He shook his head. He would never use something like this against another woman. It didn't matter if it was Ophis. He swore he would score a total hottie through honest means and his principles still applied to her.

"What am I going to do with you?" he said while running a hand through his hair. "Rolan had to have known about you. And now you're just… here. If the Brigade doesn't come for you to finish their job, I know for sure he will."

"Chase is too terrified of me to attempt any punishment," she said… and he could have sworn he felt coyness resonate through her. "The Khaos Brigade, I cannot say. However, together; you, I, and King Arrixam, we together can challenge Sinner."

"Richard-san?" Issei asked while pointing at the man. It was the second time she used that name to address him. He wondered if Arrixam was Richard's real name. He'd have to ask the man about it at some point. _If_ the man could remember.

"I meant it when I said I would be the first to rally to you," Richard spoke clearly and with a fierce look of determination. "You have my word, Ise. I will do everything in my power to protect what is yours to the best of my abilities. Not only that; I wish to help further. I want to prepare you and yours for the upcoming Rating Game."

Issei blanched at him, "Doesn't… Doesn't that go against your, I don't know, rule of neutrality or something?"

"Chase is a dear friend but even I do not agree with his methods at times," Richard answered with a slight frown. "There are other ways to acquire Miss Sitri's insight. I also believe I owe you an apology for scheming with him behind your back. Though my mind was not my own at the time, I am still responsible for the deception."

"I, can show you how to harness the Law of Potential," Ophis stated with a raised finger. She nodded her head a few times. "Yes. Hyoudou Issei, though you are not the [Potential] I knew, you are [Potential] now. You must learn of your authority and learn to enforce it. Only then will you have a chance against Baka Red."

…She was serious about him fighting someone he had no clue about. Her intentions were too obvious.

Still, he couldn't deny her. The idea was too tempting. The power he used in Kyoto was completely unreal. It was like when he first inherited Ddraig's power and unlocked the Boosted Gear. He had evolved from a normal human to an immortal Dragon. Now, he had evolved from that to a cosmic entity who could rewrite reality.

And he had _no idea_ how to use it. None. He felt like he was handed a trillion buttons that operated reality. Pressing any one of them might blow up a galaxy or something.

Learning how to use this power was his best bet if he was going to save Sona. It would also mean he could finally have the power to protect everyone.

…Protect them from anything natural in the World, at least. He knew he still wasn't capable of fighting Trihexa.

"I have rules," he said to Ophis. He opened his mouth to start but…

"I, accept," Ophis replied immediately. She formed fists and raised them up to her chest. It would have been cute if she didn't have a blank face. "I, will do anything to defeat Baka Red."

He didn't agree to fight ANYBODY!

0-0-0

An hour had passed. Issei had returned to find everyone remaining in the sitting room before. The room was spacious enough to accommodate everyone but there weren't enough seats. Chairs had to have been pulled (or summoned via magic) from elsewhere. A large assortment of sandwiches was spread out at the center table for anyone to grab.

When Issei returned, stories were exchanged. Issei didn't hide anything from the girls. He shared a few experiences when he was considered a member of the Hero Faction in a time before debuting as the Red Blur. In exchange, the Heroes had their own stories to share about him.

He also tossed in there, somewhere between all the chaos, that Ophis was going to be staying. Permanently. He expressed while she had consumed the Queen Piece of his Predator set, he did not acknowledge her as his new Queen in Devil Society.

Rias spat out her tea once she heard Ophis' name. He wasn't sure why. Some of the other girls, mostly comprising of the original Occult Research Club, had a variety of expressions directed at him.

Sona explained Ophis was known as the Ouroboros Dragon God, _the_ strongest being on the planet who was said to be just as powerful as the Predators.

Ophis clarified this rumor. She said she was nowas powerful as the current generation of Predators _combined_. And she was only operating at ten percent.

The silence thereafter was consuming.

When conversation began anew, Rias tried to correct something about Ophis. But when asked, she blushed and looked away, struggling to answer Issei's inquiry. The other members of the club refused to answer as well.

The black thing in his stomach began to wriggle around, as though stirred by this antic. He noticed Ophis shifted her balance with her head turning his way the smallest of margins. He didn't know what to make of it.

The conversation picked up again. Sona explained to Issei what the Hero Faction demanded from him. Cao Cao stepped up to interrupt him so he could speak for himself and his crew. He was going to offer all information on the Khaos Brigade he and his friends knew in exchange for absolute immunity from outside politics. He was asking for Issei's protection as a Predator.

"Okay," Issei said simply. Nobody said anything. He took the chance to walk up to the table and grab a sandwich.

Gabriel was staring at him. Watching him closely. She noticed his attention and quickly looked away, pretending to have not been watching.

"Ise," Sona spoke up before he could take a bite. "Do you have any idea what you're agreeing to?"

"Information about the only force on the planet who can oppose the Predators in exchange for… what would you call it?" he drawled off with a tilt of his head. "Not sure if there's a word for it. But Cao Cao doesn't want anyone to come after him. I can promise that as a Predator."

"Asylum," Sona clarified.

"Thank you," he nodded while raising the sandwich to his mouth.

Gabriel was watching him again.

"Hold on, Ise!" Rias spoke sharply. His head snapped to her. "Think about it at least a little! If the Hero Faction are wanted criminals across the globe, don't you think it will ruin your reputation in a public sense? You might lose your candidacy as a Demon Lord if you're harboring them. What if these other factions direct their attention towards the Devil Society? They'll demand you release them."

He had given it some thought. Serafall had been the one who recommended him as a Demon Lord. She was the one who evaluated him and, going against all premise of the evaluation, gave him the clear to become a Demon Lord. If his first decree was to protect the Hero Faction from other governments, it'll not just look bad on him. Serafall would take most of the heat since she was his sponsor.

"Cao Cao," Issei spoke up, looking directly at the man. "Did you know about Trihexa?"

The mention of that name sterilized the room. Yumi had informed the other girls about the existence of the bringer of the Evensong. She had one of the strongest reactions in the room.

The other one who had a noticeable reaction was Rossweisse. She dropped her tea as her eyes glazed. Her body started shaking. Slowly, she started to fold in on herself. Her hands were raised to cover her ears.

Because of the Predator Piece inside her, one of the Rooks, she was cursed with being connected to the World. She could hear its constant cry in alarm.

"Trihexa was Sinner's field," Cao Cao answered without batting an eye. "The goal of we, the Hero Faction, was to research Great Red and to eventually kill him. We all swore to do it through our own mettle. Sinner desires to kill Great Red by awakening Trihexa. We had nothing to do with his project nor do we care for it."

"And you never thought to stop him?" Issei asked next.

"Each faction within the Khaos Brigade functions individually under their own rules," Cao Cao said with a crisp tone. "I believe it is similar to you Predators. Do you not all share the same purpose but work separately?"

"That doesn't answer my question," he said, though he appreciated the information Cao Cao just supplied.

"Predator Rolan intercepted us on a mission in Egypt," Cao Cao muttered. "I believe it was during the same time you slew the Vampire. We were at his mercy. If the Predators united cannot stop Sinner, what hope do you think I have?"

His face had warped. It cost him something to admit this weakness. Cao Cao was a prideful warrior. He loathed to admit something was better than him. But he would acknowledge them and promise to never allow it to happen again.

In any case, his answer was good enough. Not even Cao Cao with his spear could defeat Adams McCain. Issei had hoped, if not briskly, that the True Longinus was strong enough to pierce through McCain's protections. Apparently not.

"I have another condition," Issei said with a sharp voice. He wasn't going to be denied.

Cao Cao noticed. He cocked a brow, "Oh? You mean other than vanquishing beasts for humanity under your strict guidelines? Very well. What is it?"

"There's a Rating Game coming up. I need you to be there."

Sona spat out her tea this time.

Cao Cao's face turned grim. "I see. I am aware of your duel against… King Oberon of the Fae. I am also aware it is for the hand of the Sitri demon in marriage."

"Devil," Sona corrected between her fits of coughing.

"You are asking me to raise my spear for a Devil," Cao Cao finished.

"I'm not asking," Issei said with a hardened expression. "Think of it this way; you're raising your spear against one of the World's Ultimate Killers. Wasn't it your dream to kill the strongest of anything? Rolan won't be the only one there. There will be other powerful beings capable of keeping up with us. I need that one-hit-kill weapon of yours and someone who I know won't miss with it."

The staring between them lasted too long.

Eventually, Cao Cao broke. He lowered his head and let out a few cackles, "Shishou, I could argue with this. The symbol I would create would mark me as a Devil supporter. I would more likely rally towards Predator Rolan— though I hear of late he's turned himself into a Devil as well.

"Be that as it may, I still owe you a debt from the time before. Very well. I will be that spear you so crave. But know I do not do it for your sake nor for the Sitri demon. I do this for my honor. I will say my debt is paid in full thereafter."

The debt was for the entirety of the Hero Faction. They all swore to return the favor one day. But, since what Issei was demanding went against their code to assist anything non-human, he supposed getting any one of them to agree was a blessing of itself. And who better than the leader of the Hero Faction himself?

"Sure," Issei nodded. "Do that and behave from now on and I'll let you guys crash here and not kill you."

"…And protect us from—" Cao Cao began dryly.

"Oh, yeah, that," Issei breathed out a sigh. He waved a hand. "Sure, sure. I'll figure something out. Might have to blow up a country or two to get my point across but I think I can—"

"Ise!" Rias gasped.

"Kidding!" he gave a nervous chuckle. She was fuming. He could only smile at her.

With this conversation done, he decided to finally take a bite out of his sandwich.

…Or at least try to.

"NO!" Gabriel shrieked and leapt out of her corner. She dove in front of him and swiped the sandwich out of his hand just before he could sink his teeth into the bread. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself but it's too cruel! I can't allow you to eat this!"

"…Do they not have sandwiches up in Heaven?" he asked for anyone to answer. "Eh, Gabriel-chan, it's only a sandwich. Or is it a meat thing? Are you sad because of the meat inside? We eat meat all the time down here. You don't have to be sad about it."

"It's not the contents, though I do feel sorry for those animals…" Gabriel stood back up while cradling the sandwich in her hands. "I fear… I did another naughty I wasn't supposed to. I couldn't resist. The temptation was too much. For you see… I… added brown mustard when Himejima-san said to use Dijon mustard! Please forgive me!"

Issei was swept away by the amount of innocence. She was sobbing and begging for his forgiveness over this matter. She… She was even purer than Asia! He didn't think it was conceivable!

"It… It's okay," he said, raising his hands to try and calm her down. He was fretting. He didn't like Gabriel crying. "You didn't do anything bad! I wouldn't have noticed the difference anyways! Please stop crying!"

"…Well then," Cao Cao cleared his throat as he addressed Rias. "I believe that means things are settled. Will you need time to prepare dormitories or shall we be bunking elsewhere?"

Rias almost frowned at the insinuation. He was looking down at her. While his eyes shone with respect for Issei, he looked at all the other Devils, Reincarnated or not, with _tolerance_.

"We have spare rooms prepared for guests… and others on the off-chance Ise brought home a surprise or two," Rias answered. "I did not think we'd be using them for this. Akeno, can I ask you to show them where they will be staying?"

"If I must," Akeno did not hide her displeasure. "The man of the house has spoken. If you will follow me then."

"One last thing," Yumi said sharply. She rose from her seat with Excalibur following. She placed a hand on the top of her partner's head. Her eyes were as sharp as her conceptual blades. "I cannot ask you see us as equals. But if you continue to be disrespectful to my King and her peers, I will have a problem. Are we clear?"

"…I wouldn't dare to press the Siege Perilous," was all Cao Cao said through a blank face but grinding teeth. His eyes flicked to Issei, who was making promises to Gabriel so she would stop, before going back to Rias. "Once we are settled, and once Hyoudou-shishou is ready, I will give him everything I know. I believe the sooner you have this information the sooner you can plot. Wait too long and the Khaos Brigade will be ready for any type of assault."

With that, Akeno left the room to lead the Heroes to the second floor guest chambers.

But only half of the crew went. The other half remained in the sitting room. Some of them were shifting around with discomfort. They were all waiting for the instruction of the boy with white hair.

Vali remained sitting in his seat while drinking his tea. He was poised, nearly bored, despite the looks everyone was giving him.

"Was there something else you wanted to share?" Sona inquired.

Vali's eyes flicked up towards her, "Not particularly. If you're curious why we didn't go with them then, well, we're not a part of the Hero Faction. Half of them split up to join me."

"And you are…?" Sona asked.

Vali had a smile. It held confidence, challenge, and pride. "I am the current wielder of the Divine Dividing, the White Dragon Emperor."

His announcement would have had more gravity if Rias could stop the snicker from escaping.

"I'm sorry," she said and meant it. "It's just that… you're the White Chaser."

Vali frowned with extreme annoyance. He was reminded of something he couldn't escape.

"...Your Dragon is crying," Li Qin said with her eyes locked on Vali's chest. The core of the Divine Dividing rested somewhere on his back. "Why is he crying? Being the White Chaser is cool! He's the most hilarious character in **Dragon Knight Heroes**! Watching him get so close to the Red Blur but only fail at the last second is great! Oh, oh, oh! I especially love when he tries to fight the same things as the Red Blur but end up having to be saved in the end! I always laugh!"

Vali rubbed his head as Albion's quiet groans turned into hysterical sobbing.

"And I guess you want the same things as the Hero Faction," Sona stated to get back on track.

"No," Vali answered her. "Unlike Cao Cao, I think living on edge like this will make us grow. I'm confident I can handle things. But that's not why I'm here."

His eyes flicked over to Issei.

"And ice cream and, and, and puppies!" Issei was on his knees at this point. "We'll go to a pet shop and you'll get to pet all the puppies you want! I don't know what else to promise…"

"I want to pet the puppies…" Asia muttered quietly to herself.

"P-Promise?" asked Gabriel through teary eyes.

"Promise!" Issei said with several enthusiastic nods.

"I promise to be good then," Gabriel wiped her eyes. "I'll never switch out ingredients like that again."

"…Heaven has some ridiculous standards," was all Issei could say with a sigh. He stood up, patted his knees, and noticed he was the center of attention. "Uh… what'd I miss? Wait. Where'd Cao Cao go?"

He always knew where Cao Cao and the rest of the Heroes were. Asking aloud only gave him a reminder by the World. He only asked aloud to fake normalcy as well as to give himself a chance to jump back into the topic.

"They excused themselves to the guest rooms until called upon by you," Rias answered him. "But it seems your rival wishes to share a few words with you."

"Who? Vali?" he stuck his thumb out at the young man. "He's not really my rival. The guy lasted ten seconds flat the last time we fought."

"…I didn't realize you two had been acquainted before," Sona said. "I assumed you were familiar of another through Ophis. You never mentioned running into the White Chaser before."

Vali's brow twitched at the mention of his _heroic_ name.

"He was with Kokabiel when the Vampire took Kiba," Issei answered. "Vali was only there because he knew I would show up."

"I guess he got tired of _chasing_ you," Rias smiled behind her teacup while looking directly at Vali.

Bikou whistled, "Ten seconds, Vali? Man, I knew the Predators were top-class but don't you think ten seconds is just… bad?"

"It would have ended sooner if I wanted to kill him right away," Issei said before Vali could defend himself. "He talked shit about my parents and threatened my friends. I only wanted to beat him senseless."

The impressions they had for the White Chaser had plummeted after the confession. They no longer treated him as a casual joke. The girls looked at him the same way they looked at Cao Cao. Perhaps even less.

"I've learned my lesson, Hyoudou-san," Vali said without being affected by their glares. "I'm in no condition to challenge you again. Right now, anyways. Ophis told me something. Something I think you would like to hear."

Issei noticed Tiamat shift in her seat. She was watching Vali more closely than she had with everything else. To her, where everything was either a game or show she could observe, Vali's interaction was something happening in her real-time. It meant Vali had the same importance to her as Issei and Ophis.

It was the same way she treated anyone at the Primordial gathering.

"You and I are rivals," Vali said with an amused smile. "While you bear the Law of Potential, Albion within me bears the Law of Entropy. I don't know how you inherited all of Ddraig's abilities. But Ophis claims, under the right conditions, I can access Albion's powers just like you. He hasn't denied it."

"…Brother," Tiamat sighed heavily. Her brows were scrunched with irritation. "You would allow this vessel such a grant? Surely you haven't fallen as far as Planetary Representative Mars?"

Li Qin's sword twitched violently. She patted its pummel while whispering soothing things.

And… did she just call Albion her brother? Just like how she called Ddraig her brother?

[I do not forgive Ddraig,] a deep voice reverberated throughout the room. It filled the air with power. [Our eternal strife was forfeited without a victor. His usurper knows nothing about the authority he carries. Imprisoned as I am by the Biblical One, I will find a way to test him. Or crush him for his unworthiness. Hmph. On another note, dear sister… at least I am not Pluto.]

Tiamat's brows lifted in acknowledgement. She agreed with his last statement.

"Yeah, uh," Issei crossed his arms while he gave Vali a flat look. "Both Cao Cao and Ophis have a sort-of life debt to me. That's the only reason why I'm letting them stay here. I'm glad you answered a few things in Kyoto but that's the only good thing you've done for me. Why should I trust you? Rather, why shouldn't I kill you for being a part of the Brigade?"

"I, saved Vali's life," Ophis said, coming back to life from her completely still stance. "He joined the Khaos Brigade to follow me. His quest is similar to Cao Cao's. He wishes to defeat you, who he sees as his ultimate goal. He, is indeed the White Chaser."

The clothes she made from her draconian essence turned into a white hoodie with embroidery and inkwork in likeness of Vali's Balance Breaker armor. However, in the next instance, the cloth became distorted like televised static. It reset back to her gothic dress.

Ophis looked down at herself. She frowned with her brows creasing a tiny bit. "This… is unpleasant. I, cannot control myself."

"…At least you're alive?" Issei offered.

"…I, am alive," she repeated while looking up.

Issei turned back to Vali, "So what are you going to do? Run off somewhere and train? Look, if you want to fight, please send me a challenge or something. I'll agree to it. Just don't pull off what you tried last time. I don't have time to be dealing with surprises."

"…You may stay with me," Tiamat said with some reluctance. "If Albion hold you high enough to be his champion, then you must learn how to harness this grant. I will teach you what is possible for a mundane on our arts. In the meantime, it will give me an opportunity to study the prison and free Albion."

"Training from the Strongest Dragon King?" Vali said with another amused smile. "Or would this be under the Law of Twilight? Doesn't matter, I guess. I gladly accept. Just don't bore me."

"Boredom is the least of your worries, hatchling," Tiamat said with a carnivorous glint in her eyes that promised torture rather than training.

Vali's smile spread with anticipation.

"Mou~" pouted Kuroka from where she sprawled on the floor. "Does this mean we won't be able to stay with Hyoudou-kyan? No fair."

"It can't be helped," said Arthur. "We've already agreed to follow the whims of our new leader. Think of it as a new adventure to explore."

"But I wanted to watch **Dragon Knight Heroes** with Issei-sama…" Le Fay clutched her signed notebook close to her chest.

"Please take them," Issei said hurriedly before Tiamat changed her mind.

As adorable as Le Fay was, and boy was she starting to develop nicely since last he saw her, there was no way in _hell_ he was going to watch that anime. Doing it once nearly gave him an aneurism.

"…Very well," Tiamat said. She extended a hand forward towards Vali and his group.

A Dragon Gate appeared underneath them. They all sank into it without warning and were gone.

"I will come for you again, Ddraig," she said while approaching the gate herself. "I will spread word of your deeds. Repelling an Outsider, defeating [Chronicle] and the avatar of [Dream], and binding Ophis to existence. These are all impressive. I will return once I hear word further. Do not exhaust yourself with your toys before me."

She stepped into the Dragon Gate and fell through the portal. The lights vanished and the magic seals with it. The room returned to its normal setting.

"Did she just call us _toys_?" Irina asked incredulously.

A throat was cleared. Everyone turned to the source.

"I apologize for intruding," Richard said. He had remained in the back of the room, watching and waiting for his moment while Issei settled his personal matters. "[Twilight] has the right mind, Ise. I must prepare you immediately."

"Right now?" Issei asked. "Like right this second? You know I've only been home for like, what? Three-four hours? Can't I relax and spend time with…?"

He gestured to the row of beautiful girls, all of which were infatuated with _him_ (Kiba could go to hell for all he cared), sitting patiently for his sake on the long couch. Before all this crazy happened, he had been cornered by them on his plans. They wanted to know which one he was going on a date with first.

With so many distractions, he had plenty of time to find a solution. He decided it would be best to take them all out to dinner. At the same time! That way _everybody_ was happy!

…Why did it suddenly feel like the World itself was sighing at him?

Richard brought up a hand to his head. He was putting pressure on his brow. "There's not enough time. The voices are faint but there are audible now. I'm not sure how much longer I will be of clear mind. I may return to being Richard Royals at any moment. Or I may become someone else entirely."

Yup. This proves it. Richard was completely bonkers. Never mind the voices part. He finally acknowledged he had multiple identities.

He was called the Mad Archmage for a reason.

"Oh dear," Gabriel said while she clasped her hands together. Doing so made her arms press against her breasts. "I fear this may be my fault. You have been acting differently since our time in the banquet hall. Is there anything I can do to assist?"

Issei wasn't the only one drawn to Gabriel's alluring tits. Richard's eyes flicked down to them. But instead of being hypnotized by their perfection, he forced himself to look away with a painful expression.

"I fear I will delve into a madness unrecoverable if the same events were to follow twice," he said while bringing up his hand to cover his peripheral vision from Gabriel. "Some things are not meant to be seen on this plane of existence."

Wait a minute. Richard was behaving like this because… because of Gabriel? He swapped personalities because he had seen her tits?! Yeah, his x-ray sunglasses let him see through her robes but they shattered and he had collapsed right after.

Were Gabriel's breasts so great they made _Richard_ sane again?! That's so unfair! Issei wanted to see them! He needed to find where Rias hid the x-ray specs Richard have given him… assuming she hadn't destroyed them in the first place.

"Miss Sitri, if you will please assist me," Richard said. He stepped up to Issei, grabbed him by his collar, and began to drag him away. "I will need your presence to trigger his transformation."

"…H-How do you know about that?" Sona asked through hesitation, embarrassment, and, more than anything, suspicion.

"Hey wait a minute!" Issei barked. He tried to resist but, high holy hell, Richard was _strong_. Strong enough to completely overpower whatever Issei tried. "Don't I have a say in this?! Let me spend time with my harem! My harem! I worked hard to achieve my goal! Let me bask in the fruits of my labor!"

"There's not enough time!" Richard said while continuing to drag him away. "The madness draws nearer! You are immortal. You will have an eternity to enjoy your lovers' company. My assistance might not be as impressive within the next week or possibly the next _hour_. We cannot afford to waste this moment."

"Daaaaaaaate!" Issei croaked. He had fallen and was being dragged away by his ankle. "I want to go on a date! I wanna watch a movie or shop in the mall or play in the arcade! I wanna split a sundae with someone and have an indirect kiss!"

Ophis said nothing as she turned to follow him. But her eyes were lit with entertainment as she watched him struggle.

"…Should we have stopped him?" Xenovia asked the party. "We may have missed an opportunity to spend a night with him."

"Is sex all you think about?!" Irina barked.

"I also think about my sword technique and prayers," Xenovia said plainly.

"I see nothing wrong with those three things," Morgan commented with praise.

"There's a lot of things wrong thinking like that," Lancelet sighed.

"Don't act like you don't think of sex," Morgan turned quickly on her partner.

Lancelet flushed, "N-No, I do not think of such a thing!"

"Liar," called out Morgan as well as the other two Knights _and_ Li Qin.

Lancelet almost glared daggers at the Valkyrie Predator. But she didn't. She didn't have the courage to do such a thing.

Li Qin's sword twitched. Her eyes began to sparkle as she clapped her hands together, "Mars says you think about him all the time! Like when that, um… thank you Mars— that Kuroka woman showed up. You were gushing with jealousy when he was ogling her. You were wanting him to stare at you the same way! Oh! You're even wearing flashy underwear under—"

"Gaaaaaaaaaah," Lancelet screamed with her face crimson. She realized her blunder and flushed further. "T-That… is improper for a Knight. I-I-I would never fantasize about another woman's significant other. Never."

She shut her eyes so she couldn't see the accusing stares directed her way. It was the only way she could keep her head held high.

"I think Ise has enough to deal with," Rias said with a sad smile to Irina. "All we can do is be there for him when he needs us. Although… I do question his sense of judgment."

"Maybe we should have stopped Mister Royals?" Asia asked. "Ise… went through a lot on his trip. Don't you think he deserves a rest?"

It was Sona who spoke up, "Maybe, Argento-san. But I think it would be more therapeutic if Ise relieves some of the stress inside him. Royals-san has known Ise longer than I have. I think he saw through Ise's mask."

"Mask?" asked Irina with worry.

Some understood. The rest were waiting with anticipation for the answer.

"The Predator's mindset," Rias said. "The World forces his emotions to follow a loop. Whatever he felt the moment he became a Predator is how he's feeling all the time. Ise has learned to manage it. But the stress of everything is breaking him."

He had kept smiling at them no matter what. He acted like a goof. But they all knew of his habits. They knew when he was being genuine or forced. He was trying too hard to be himself and it was showing. Some had thought he needed a day of relaxation and good company to recuperate.

But, sometimes, the only way to quell a fire was to let it burn itself out.

Though Yumi had consumed one of the Predator Pieces, she was not bound to the mindset imposed by the World. She had noticed, however, her undying loyalty as Rias' Knight had increased. It was nearly blinding whenever she combined herself with Excalibur to become the Siege Perilous Predator.

The only full Predator in the room who could understand Issei's plight was Li Qin. However, she kept quiet as she listened to the other girls. Her eyes remained shining like a child, masking whatever she was feeling only she knew about. None could guess what she felt when she ascended to the rank of Ultimate Killer.

"All the time?" Rossweisse gasped with horror. "Please tell me… what sort of state was he in when he acquired his title?"

"Pissed," Yumi answered bluntly. Her eyes hardened as she recalled the memory. "The Vampire had assisted a group of Fallen Angels. He kidnapped Asia-chan and Nakashima-san… Ise-kun's adoptive sister, I guess you can call her. He tried to rescue them but… they both died. Asia-chan was resurrected with the Evil Pieces but… Nakashima-san had been reincarnated already. And the Vampire had poisoned her with something only he had the cure for."

"He crushed the vial right in front of Ise," Rias said darkly.

Everyone was quiet as memories returned and information was processed.

"That poor boy," Gabriel whispered softly. "I understand now the carnage of the Red Storm. So much passion was put behind that destruction. We had believed it was to put down a monster with noble intentions. I did not know so much vengeance was locked in his heart. And this is how he feels… always?"

Rias only nodded once.

"It's ill to not talk about someone when they're not present," Sona said. "If you wish to learn more, you should ask him. He will gladly share anything with you. He's that sort of person."

"I… I would never wish to bring up bad memories," Rossweisse said quietly. "I'm sorry for asking this much. I shouldn't have."

"We're stuck with you," Koneko said. "You may as well know what you're getting yourself involved with, Homewrecker."

"Muu…" Rossweisse sighed wearily at the nickname.

"Rias, we should go with him," Sona said. "Royals-san requested me but I think you should come along. Besides… I'm not confident I alone can stop Ise from killing that man. You know how he is when he lets loose."

"M-Maybe we should all go?" Asia stood quickly.

"No!" Sona put up her hands with a heavy flush. She coughed and composed herself, "I-I mean… It would be best if only a small group oversees the training session. I only want to support him, not distract him."

"…But I wanted to see what being a Switch Princess meant," Morgan pouted.

Sona flushed. She had purposely neglected that specific detail when they were retelling the story. She even pinched Issei's side when he didn't get the hint and nearly blabbed the specifics. He was like goo when Akeno pouted and pushed up her breasts in front of him.

"O-Oh, okay…" Asia said with disappointment. "I understand. Sona-kaichou and Buchou are… very important to Ise after all. He would like you being there…"

"Don't worry, Asia," Yumi reassured her with her charming smile. "You'll have your moment with Ise-kun. Buchou just has priorities because she's still technically Ise's King. It'll be bad if he accidentally kills a Lord Archmage."

"There's that," Rias said as she stood. She put her hands on her hips and announced boldly, "There's also the fact I am _first._ As it so happens, Ise proposed to me. We're going to get married!"

She was expecting voices of jealousy and praise. Instead she received gasps and… and she was sure Asia became a literal statue. All the color washed away from the girl until even her hair and eyes were bleached.

"…I agree, Rias," Sona said as she adjusted her glasses. "I question Ise's judgment in spite of recent events."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rias huffed.

"It means what it means," Sona said as she began to walk off.

"That doesn't mean anything!" Rias followed right after her.

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

"That's not what I meant and you know it! Or, why Sona, is this jealousy I sense? Are you mad because Ise proposed to me before you?"

"We're teenagers, Rias, who haven't completed our high school careers!"

"All I hear are excuses."

"…If we're being technical, I was engaged to him before you."

"If anything that's a technical _foul_! You're engaged to him by contract! You don't even know if you're going to marry him! This Rating Game is so you _don't_ marry Rolan!"

"I KNEW HIM BEFORE YOU!"

"I SAW HIM FIRST!"

"YOU LIAR!"

"PROVE IT!"

As the two walked off, they left a room full of stiff statues. Everyone was frozen stiff from the news. The only ones unaffected were the Knights Trist and Kayla, who had no romantic interest in him in the first place; Gabriel, who was giddy about the good news on sacred matrimony; and Rossweisse, who was already married to him even if she couldn't remember the ceremony or the consummation.

"My, my," Akeno said as she returned. "What's with all the shouting from those two? Hmm? What's going on? Why are you all like this? What did I miss?"

"…War has been declared," Excalibur voiced everyone's thoughts.


	18. Balance Breaker

**AN:** This is the only time I'll ever appreciate you, Starbucks. The ONLY time. Thank you for your free wifi.

So in regards to this chapter, I did my best to explain things but let me know if you wind up confused anyways. What am I talking about? A time skip. Originally, I had a few scenes planned in regards to Issei's training segment with Richard, another conversation with Pluto, and an interdimensional argument featuring the Lords of the Debauch. All of which were tossed out of the window in exchange for plot advancement.

I considered having an omake at the end of the chapter... but I feel like it would have taken away the impact of the last few scenes.

Do enjoy.

* * *

He stared up at the artificial sky while waiting for the meeting to start. A bright light shone above with the center moving at a gradual pace liken to the shifts of the sun. He despised that orb almost as much as he hated the actual sun. It was a mockery. He understood the purpose of this illusion and it was from that understanding was he disgusted by it.

He turned away from the window and paced back towards the center of the room.

"You did tell him about the time, right?" Rolan asked.

Serafall's condition had worsened since last they talked. Before, she was liken to a schoolgirl who had yet to realize she had a hard crush. She refused to admit it despite the boy being the center of her thoughts. She fidgeted around, reacted negatively whenever his name was brought up, and easily distracted.

Now, it was draining her. She still kept up appearances with professional attire combined with her cheeky personality. But it was missing the bubbly cuteness that made her the most popular woman on the charts. Her complexion was a shade paler as though she had come down with a slight cold.

He remembered being under the effects of the Gift of Seduction. It was one of his darkest memories. But he couldn't recall suffering from withdrawals when he was separated from the Queen after a prolonged adventure.

…Maybe he had been wrong? Maybe Serafall wasn't under the effects of the Gift of Seduction but something else? It wouldn't explain her behavior toward Hyoudou, however.

Or she really was in love and was suffering some sort of exaggerated melodramatic lovesickness.

"You know, I went to go see Dragoon-chan about it and I told him everything," she explained to him with a huff. Another thing, she was always annoyed with him. More than usual, anyways. "Do you know what he said to me?"

He cocked a brow, waiting for her to answer.

"Time," she said in a slightly deeper voice, trying to emulate Hyoudou's. "There's not enough time. He said that with a dead look in his eyes. Richie-tan dragged him away shortly after. I ended up telling Ria-tan and So-tan the rest. I can trust them to be responsible about this."

"Richard?" Rolan he muttered lowly. "I was wondering where he's been hiding since Kyoto."

"That reminds me, Obi-tan," Serafall turned on him quickly with narrowed eyes. "So-tan told me everything."

He was expecting this conversation to be brought up at some point. He gestured a hand at her, telling her to get on with it.

"You are the Ruler of the World," she sighed. She looked away with her eyes focusing on old memories. "All along. Since the first time you summoned me with Carly-chan. Was everything always a part of your plan?"

"More or less," he shrugged. He tilted his head back as he recalled the past. It was during a time when Coralynne Stradt was his confidant and Serene lived with him. They worked together to summon an archdemon and managed to conjure… Serafall.

The adventures following after were nothing but mayhem.

She was asking if he pretended to be manipulated by her scheming. She was asking about the confession, the exchange of names, and the cataclysm that followed shortly after. She was asking if it was all just a game to him as he was the Ruler of the World.

"Does knowing change anything today?" he asked when he lowered his gaze back to hers.

Her eyes were sharp as she stared at him in long silence.

"…I suppose it doesn't," she said eventually. "But it's still not nice! We're in this together, you know! I would have liked to have known you were the Ruler all along. I could have helped you a little better if I understood where you were coming from…"

"Sera, I trust you as far as I can throw you."

She almost smiled at that. She knew him. While it was a popular idiom, he could only speak the truth. He _could_ throw her pretty fucking far.

He waved it off, "Nothing has changed. We are still enemies in this game of politics. I'm still going to be trying my damnest to marry your sister. Remember that."

"And I'll be trying my hardest to oppose you," she said with her usual smile returning.

He nodded at her and went back to the window. His hands fell into the pockets of his pants while he stared outside of the palace. Their conversation was dropped dead while they both waited for the appointed time. His brows would shift on occasion, either lost in his own thoughts or having a mental conversation with his familiar. Or both.

Minutes before the deadline, there came a rush of power. His head hardly turned when a glyph appeared in the center of the room. It was a summoning circle… but not of Devil make. It had taken some of the impressions of Devil craft with Nordic runes and the skeleton of a Dragon Gate.

In the crescendo of the light arrived a group of individuals. He had expected them to arrive in their school uniforms but had come instead in formal attire. Hyoudou Issei at the front, Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri at his flank, Rossweisse on his other side, Archangel Gabriel towards the back, and…

It took him a moment to gather himself. Rolan stopped moving as the non-existence of his true self hiccupped. The World nearly noticed before he commanded himself back into animation.

He could never confuse the Queen. Even when her appearance had changed dramatically.

"For fuck's sake," he growled and turned a little more. "Where the hell was this back in Ilyvander?"

The girls regarded him warily and with some slight animosity. They were no better than pups who had just learned to growl. Hyoudou's brows were furrowed but didn't put any heat behind his glare.

"Hello, Chase," Ophis was the only one to greet him. She stood at Hyoudou's shadow. Her head tilted slightly as she put a hand to her chest. "Does my form alarm you?"

He looked away. His eyes fell dead. Memories with the Queen flooded his mind. Things he wish he could forget. All of which were events that transpired while she had the body of a child. He would have been able to enjoy himself and become her thrall if she had been in this mature form instead. The entirety of the Black Sun event could have been avoided if he chose her instead of Snow.

"Dragoon-chan! There you are!" Serafall was bouncing on her heels. Her bubbly nature had returned with a spark of life. "We've been waiting forever for you! You almost missed the deadline. Where have you been? And… what is that thing doing with you?"

Her eyes turned into daggers as she glared at Gabriel. The Fallen Archangel merely smiled beautifully and waved a hand.

"Hello, Leviathan-san," Hyoudou sighed wearily as he rubbed his brow. "I was getting ready for today. I'm sorry but can you please lower your voice? My head really hurts."

"Some last minute studying from So-tan?" Serafall mused. "Or did you receive one of her fearsome lectures when you got a poor mark?"

"…Why does everyone believe my lessons are so strenuous?" Sona asked. "I attempted to tutor Ise on everything relating to Devil Society between his training with Royals-sama. However… not enough time."

Her voice fell flat with that last line. There was a story there.

"I didn't get enough time to learn everything," Hyoudou carried on. "I barely started to get a grasp on the alphabet and table manners. By the time we all realized the interview was today… I realized I didn't know anything. So Richard-san… shoved all the information into my skull."

Rolan's brows couldn't help but rise. He had cheated by using a few eye techniques and his years of experience in other fields to understand Devil Society to this degree. But that had taken a great deal of time and effort. Hyoudou, on the other hand, had received the same degree of education in a snap. Though there was no doubt Archmage Royals had applied other spells to ease the burden on the mind (and to prevent a seizure), Hyoudou still suffered a migraine.

Still, it was rather unfair.

"Eh… really?" Serafall blinked. "Then who won the Battle of Babylon?"

"Which one?" Issei's eyes flashed with insight. "There's the one led by the original Abaddon and there was the siege against the Sumerian Gods. Either way, no one won that… huh."

He blinked and scratched his head, realizing he was sputtering words he didn't know until now. The other girls were looking at him with amazement.

"I must learn such a technique," Rossweisse said aloud. "To be able to absorb so much knowledge in an instant! The schools of magic I could research in such a short amount of time! Imagine what else it can accomplish!"

"You can ask him but we all know what his answer will be…" Rias said dryly.

All of their eyes went dead as they said in unison, "Not enough time."

"Speaking of," Rolan spoke up to regard them. "We have a schedule to keep. The ceremony is in a few hours and Hyoudou has yet to go through the ascension process. I'd like to get today over with."

"Mou~" Serafall puffed her cheeks at him. "Fine, fine. You're right anyways. Come on, Dragoon-chan. The other Maou are waiting!"

Without hesitation, she approached him, wrapped both her arms around his, and began to drag him away. Hyoudou didn't try to fight it. He was putty in her grip as soon as her breasts were pressed up against him.

"Nee-san," Sona nearly gasped. "Don't you think you're being a little too direct? You're way too close!"

"There's not enough time!" Serafall declared as she continued to drag her charge out of the room.

What she said triggered everyone. The group (sans Ophis) flinched as though reminded of a traumatic experience. Ophis went to follow, but stopped when Rolan shook his head.

Honestly, Serafall was so focused on Hyoudou she had failed to notice the presence of the Ouroboros Dragon God. Yet, her rivalry for Gabriel was noted, no matter how briefly.

"May I ask why you are here, Sir Rolan?" Sona asked.

"You mean I can't be interested in the growth of one of my Predators?" he teased in his sarcastic tone. When she didn't bite, he continued, "I'm finishing the process of our Rating Game. Sera thought it would be best if we received our titles at the same time. There will be a press gathering after the ceremony and then a party with the other Pillars and Ultimate Class Devils. Hopefully he can find someone to fill in the gaps for his roster."

"That doesn't fully answer the question," Rias cut in. "You can just go ahead and do your own thing. You don't need to be here if the ceremony isn't until the afternoon."

"As you say, I can do my own thing," he nodded at her. "And I am."

He didn't say anything further. He was about to disregard her when…

He turned his body further. A pulse of Aura went towards them. They felt its electric current as they tensed. His eyes glowed dimly.

His eyes stared straight as Rias.

"...I'm not surprised," he said with dismissal. More than that. His eyes darted away from her. He was done with this girl and her idiocy. Twice he had warned her and she had disregarded his words. Was it out of spite for him? He wondered.

"Was the summoning circle your design?" he asked Rossweisse before the two Devils could question him. He had no intention in answering them anyways.

"Y-Yes," Rossweisse answered. "Lady Leviathan mentioned the burdens of using teleportation circles with my husband. Lady Tiamat seemed to have no problems so I inquired through her. The Dragon Gates can only be managed by the Dragon kind. I had to improvise and use other schools of magic to fill in the gaps."

"And you managed to do this on your own?" he inquired with honest intrigue. "Did Archmage Royals help you at all?"

"…There wasn't enough time," she said in a dead voice.

He couldn't fathom what Richard had done to these girls. Not enough time? What could force the Mad Archmage to behave more erratically than his usual self?

"Sir Rolan," Sona spoke up. "In regards to the information I provided you—"

"Not here," he said. He faced the window again while brushing off a piece of lint off his suit.

He stared outside and ignored anything further they had for him. The group eventually ignored him in kind and began to talk amongst their selves.

The only one who regarded him was Ophis. She approached and stood at his side, staring out the window. Her dead eyes were seeing things he couldn't imagine.

They remained like this until Hyoudou's interview with the other Satans was concluded.

0-0-0

"Hello, Gremory," some blonde handsome who smiled like a total creep was waiting for them inside the limousine. "It's good to see you again."

Issei scooted a little closer to Rias after she took her seat.

"Diodara Astaroth," Rias smiled politely. He relaxed a little. He knew when she didn't like someone. "It's been so long. Not since we were children, I believe. What ever happened to your eye?"

She had commented on something sensitive, it would seem. Diodara's smile faltered slightly as all attention was drawn towards the eyepatch. His good eye flicked over towards the back of the limo.

Rolan's face was blank as he crossed a leg over the other. He spoke dryly, "Glad to see you're already acquainted. Just so we get this out of the way, Astaroth is the Devil who reincarnated me."

Oh. So that's why this rando was here. The limousine they were told to enter was reserved for only those a part of the ceremony. That included the new Devil Lords and their Kings. The rest of the girls who accompanied Issei were in the limousine behind them. Meanwhile, all sorts of security vehicles were driving alongside them on their way to the ceremony hall.

"Oh?" Rias' smile turned coy. "Does that mean he is your _King_ , Sir Rolan?"

"Just as much as you are the King of Hyoudou," he returned curtly. "We only listen when we want to."

"And let me guess," Rias returned to Diodara. "You thought you would receive tons of recognition when someone like him joined your peerage?"

Diodara's smile fell into a flat line, "I am bound by contract to not share anything regarding his reincarnation."

Issei frowned at that. He wanted to ask if such a contract was legal. But, thanks to Richard, all of the laws regarding Kings and their peerages was branded into his mind and still fresh. How the King gathered its peerage members was up to their own discretion. Not even the Maous could get involved unless under dire circumstances. Questions can be raised on why a leader of another faction was converted, such as King Oberon of the Fae, but not enough to share the specifics.

So long as he could fulfill his duties as Oberon and respect the concords between Faerie and Devil Society, the process and reasons behind his reincarnation was his right to keep private.

"The boy made a mistake and is paying off a debt," Rolan shared. "As a matter of fact, hardly anyone knows I am a Devil. It's been a pain in the ass keeping this from the press, but word always gets out in the end. Like when a few fairies leak evidence on the net."

"So… you purposely leaked this info," Issei said. "Look, just give it to me straight. What's your big plan? Why are you really after Sona so much? With everything else going on, do we really have time to be doing this?"

"Don't act like you have anything better to do with your time," Rolan snarled back. He shut his eyes and drew back his anger. "Luscious, please seal the area."

There was a shimmer of power circling around them. It covered the walls and windows of the vehicle and coated the window to the driver. They were completely cut off from the outside world.

"Now we can have this conversation," Rolan said after a moment.

"…So that's how it's going to be," Diodara commented with a sigh as he leaned back in his seat.

"Why Sona?" Issei demanded firmly.

"Is it honestly that difficult for you people to understand that, maybe, I just happen to like her?" Rolan asked incredulously.

Both Issei and Rias gave him a flat look.

Rolan glared back at them just as much.

"Let's suppose you do," Rias began. Issei looked at her through the corner of his eye. "Hold on, Ise, and hear me out. Let's say he's telling the truth. I don't think whether he likes Sona or not is the point. He's a man of logic. Everything he does is as meticulous as it is pathological. He is the Ruler of the World for a reason and I suspect that position isn't as easy as it sounds. If he is the man who designed the Predator System, then I'm going to assume there is just as much of a convoluted reason to bind Sona to him."

"Those are some big words for the Idiot of the Year," he rebuked.

"Don't talk about Rias like that," Issei growled.

"Make me," Rolan challenged.

The space inside the car turned heavy with pressure. But both were holding themselves back. They weren't willing to destroy everything around them over something like this. Issei would never endanger Rias even if Rolan had insulted her this much.

"Thank you, Ise," Rias said as she patted his arm. "But he's egging you on. Remember what Sona said."

Issei frowned with uncertainty. Sona had said… Rolan's true weakness was kindness. She said he aggravated everyone around him because he knew how they would react. The only way to counter this was to be polite, kind, and… friendly.

It made him physically sick to try. He couldn't be nice to this monster. It was impossible.

However… he can at least shake off the prodding. Sona had been right. Rolan was poking at Issei just to get him to react. If he didn't react then Rolan couldn't do the same.

"In regards to Miss Sitri," Rolan's expression shifted to one of boredom. "Why should I tell you anything before I tell her?"

"Because I'm going to break you in two in the Rating Game," Issei replied. "Sona is my best friend and… my girlfriend."

Rolan gave him the same flat look they gave him not too long ago.

"Why should I tell you anything before I tell her?" he repeated. He raised a finger before Issei could retort. "Emphasis on the _before I tell her_. If this is all we're going to talk about then I'm going to have my familiar put you on mute."

Issei opened his mouth to snap back. But the warning Rias gave him prior reminded him nothing would go his way and everything would fall into Rolan's ploy. He shut his mouth and regathered his thoughts.

"Has there been… any development on the enemy?" Issei asked.

Rolan answered in a professional tone, "The information you sent was helpful. We were able to locate their base of operations and compile a list of members. However, when we raided their stronghold, it had been cleared out already. There are no traces of Adams or those following him. I can only assume they had planned on abandoning their workshop immediately after the Kyoto incident."

"If you have a list to go off of, then can't you locate them with the Predator's perk?" Rias asked.

"Adams has designated himself as another Ruler," Rolan said with a deep scowl. He shifted in his seat as he thought for a moment. "Think of him as an admin to a blog. While he can't delete anything I created, he can block, ban, and hide members who aren't moderators and above."

"I have the feeling you're not very tech savvy," Rias mused. "You can't hide your status from another administrator."

His brows furrowed with annoyance and… was this really happening? Issei could have sworn Rolan was embarrassed.

His love for Rias just tripled.

"He has access to the codes that make up the World," Rolan spoke sharply. "He can't tamper with anything already established but he can add to it. He's created this Hunter System in contrast to the Predators. I wouldn't be surprised if one of their features allows them to hide from the World. And if you can hide from the World, you can hide from me."

"Can't you tell what they do since you are the original Ruler?" she asked next.

"And if you can hide from the World," he repeated, "you can hide from me."

It was Rias' turn to look annoyed.

"So what now?" Issei asked.

Rolan shrugged, "There's not much we can do under these conditions. Adams is vastly smarter than I am. Anything we try will be anticipated and used against us. The best we can do is react as soon as he sticks his head out somewhere. However, recently, all activity regarding the Brigade has stopped. They're not breaking any more of the seals to the Triangular Beast. They're not even trying to be annoying in the political world."

"Any clue why that is?" Rias asked this time.

"The Old Satans like to sit on their asses anyways," he began dryly. "The Hero Faction has gone missing thanks to Xi'Long. And Adams' direct faction have just been inactive. I'd like to believe whatever they took from Ophis has them occupied at the moment… but I don't want to assume."

Issei struggled to keep the smirk down. He knew why the Hero Faction was 'missing'. He was just glad Li Qin could keep a secret.

"Something funny, Hyoudou?" Rolan stared straight at him.

"It's just…" he struggled to find something to grasp, having been caught. "Adams McCain. You all made it sound like he was some undefeatable secret boss. He ran away from me screaming. It… kinda blows his reputation out of proportion, don't you think?"

Rolan continued to stare. His expression showed he didn't believe Issei in the slightest. But he wouldn't call him out on in and just shrugged in acceptance.

"Until the time comes Adams makes a move, just stay out of trouble," Rolan said plainly. "Worry about the Rating Game and… whatever else you have going on on your end. Enjoy what peace you have for the moment. You'll learn to regret when they're gone."

"Rolan… I haven't had a moment's of peace since you plotted to kill Asia."

"Really?" his brows shot up with sarcastic coy. "Ever since becoming a Predator only? I've been harassing you for three years now. What in the world was I doing during all that time? I must be getting old if I was that soft on you."

Issei swallowed his anger, "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Nothing you're willing to concern yourself with," Rolan remarked with a knowing expression. "Enjoy what peace you have for the moment. You'll learn to regret when they're gone."

It irked him how he repeated himself multiple times like this. As though he and Rias were clueless children who had to be told twice to learn something. It was also really creepy. Whenever Rolan repeated himself, he had done so in such a way it was as if time had looped over. Like a broken record.

"On another note, Hyoudou," Rolan shifted into a more comfortable posture rather than imposing. The scowl on his face loosened slightly. "What do you think of Sera?"

"Leviathan-san?" Issei blinked at the sudden change. "If I ask you what your deal is with her, will you answer me?"

To his astonishment, Rolan actually considered the question. "Sera… is something of a flame that never sparked. We tried to stab each other's back too many times. But I'd like to think we're this close with each other because of that. This whole incident with Sona isn't the first time we've been at each other's throats. I'll be surprised if it'll be the last."

"You mean you two never… hooked up?" Issei was astonished again. With the way Serafall and Rolan acted towards another, he had assumed they were in a relationship before that had gone sour. It was _Rolan_ after all.

"We've been on a couple of dates," he shrugged dismissively. "But never in what you might consider a serious relationship. Oh, but there was this one time we told each other how much we were in love with the other."

Issei's brows creased in confusion. Not in a serious relationship… but a love confession? What the hell? He can see if Rolan confessed and Serafall shot him down. But, if Rolan's could be believed even a little, Serafall shared those feelings too?

"What happened?" Rias was the one to ask.

"She lied, stole my name, and I went on a rampage that required Ludwig and Serene to stop me," he said just as casually as before. "She never loved me. She just wanted me for my power."

Issei leaned back in his seat in thought. There was a whole history of the Predators he didn't know about. He knew Rolan and Serene had _something_ but never asked her about it.

He also had no idea who Ludwig was. Rolan spoke about him as if Issei was supposed to know. He wondered if Ludwig was one of those people Rolan introduced him to back when he was running missions for the turd.

"Pardon if I don't believe you," Rias said sourly. "I just can't see one of the Maou doing something like that. It seems so… like the Maou of old."

"You people fail to understand _why_ they're called Satans," Rolan snapped back. "While the morality of it all has shifted dramatically, evil is still something that must exist. At the end of the day, she is a Devil. She requires contracts just as much as the next."

"That would mean you needed the power of a Devil in the first place," Issei pointed out. "And not just any regular Devil living in your city. You needed something huge if a Maou like Leviathan-san answered your call."

"Very perceptive," Rolan said with a perfect blend of praise and sarcasm to leave them confused on which he was going for. "I still got what I wanted and so did she. So I guess it doesn't matter. You also didn't answer my question. What do you think about her?"

"…I know I can trust her if it will mean to protect Sona," Issei said after a moment.

Rolan's expression shifted. He studied Issei with his brows wriggling around through various emotions. In the end, it fell into a flat line.

"Let me ask you this. Have you noticed anything different about her? Such as, let's say, how she talks to you?"

Issei didn't know where this was going. "No. She's still as eccentric as ever."

"Hmm," Rolan dipped his head slightly in acceptance. "Even with the Gift of Seduction you're still as clueless as ever. When are you going to put those fears behind you?"

"What does that have to do with this?" Issei asked with his annoyance rising.

"After all this, why don't you approach her and ask for a dance?" Rolan said with a wave of his hand. "See how she reacts. It wouldn't be out of the question considering she's your sponsor."

"…Ise," Rias was pouting at his side. Her cheeks were puffing while giving him _that_ look. "It's getting harder and harder to compete. I won't lose but… can you at least reel it back a little?"

"I… Y-Yes…" Issei agreed even when he didn't know what was going on. He only knew he should listen to Rias or else be in trouble again.

"Diodara," Rolan spoke up sharply. The other Devil in the car nearly jumped in surprise. "You can attend the party but I don't want you talking to anyone in Hyoudou's party. Do you understand?"

"Does this mean your conversation is complete?" Diodara asked with a plastic smile.

"We're not too far from the point," Rolan nodded. "You're free to interact right now. Just know I won't protect you from Hyoudou if you say anything that can be easily misinterpreted."

What a strange relationship between these two. Well, Issei's only point of reference was the relationship he had with Rias. Rias was his King and he will listen to any command from her despite the transcendent difference in strength. Rolan and Diodara, however, was the exact opposite. It was the servant who was commanding the King.

"I've been meaning to ask," Rias turned to Diodara. "How much about all of this do you know, exactly?"

Diodara put up another one of those fake smiles and returned, "Ah, I'm sorry to say but I missed your conversation with King Oberon completely. I was unable to hear anything and your mouths were blocked with a mosaic. I've no idea what you're asking about, Gremory."

"That much?" Rias breathed out before turning to Rolan. "Don't you think that's a bit extreme? He is your King."

"He lacks any of the characteristics of leadership for me to follow him," Rolan said bluntly. "Let alone respect. He's almost as bad as you, really."

"Sir Rolan, even if it's you I'll be upset."

"Don't act like you aren't already. Personally, Gremory, you're the type of person I would have killed on the spot if Hyoudou wasn't so disturbingly attached to you."

"And I trust the backlash from killing a Pillar Heiress has nothing to do with it?"

"It doesn't. I wouldn't have minded abandoning everything, including Sona, if it meant I could kill you. The only thing stopping me is Hyoudou. What you did makes you one of the most hated people on my list."

Rias stiffened. The color on her face washed away.

Issei was worried for her. She shouldn't be afraid of Rolan like this. He was there to protect her. He went to grab her hand to reassure her.

Her hand flinched away at his touch. She noticed her reaction and steeled herself as though trying to brace for an impact. She brought her hand back and intertwined her fingers through his.

He sensed… guilt. An enormous sum of it.

The last words Rolan said haunted through Issei's mind. What did Rias do to make her feel this amount of guilt? What did she do to deserve Rolan's ire? Did it have something to do with Issei? Was it because he was reincarnated as a Devil?

No. Rolan had always shown his displeasure for Rias. He was always annoyed with her but tolerated her. Now he loathed her and had admitted he will kill her even if it meant he would lose his standing in Devil Society. This hatred had to come recently.

Was it because Issei had killed the Vampire? No. That couldn't have been it.

It had something to do with the brothers. Was it… because her insistence to fight them had caused Amelia to perish? That was the only reason Issei could come to.

"You can hate me all you want, Sir Rolan," Rias said with her confidence returning. "Your opinion doesn't matter to me. But I will enjoy it when my fiancé beats you at your own game."

Issei's head snapped back at Rolan. The World was warning him to the presence of a threat that could and will kill him if he didn't give it his all.

Rolan's body had gone absolutely still. His eyes shone with a murderous intent only the likes of a Predator could unleash. His eyes were staring directly at Rias.

"What did you just say?" he breathed out.

It rattled Rias. But she withstood it. Her hand was shaking as she squeezed Issei's hand. She never looked away from Rolan.

The car slowly came to a halt. They had arrived at their destination.

The pressure inside vanished as soon as Rolan shut his eyes and regained his bearings. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes were still as sharp as ever. His scowl remained. Only the murderous intent had been swallowed. It was still there, without a doubt, but masked behind calculations and plotting.

Issei knew he would kill Rias. He was only looking for a way around Issei.

The door opened by one of the security personnel. The sounds of excited yelling and cheering could be heard. Rolan was the first out of the door and Issei could easily make out the sounds of questioning, more cheering, and the clattering of photographs.

His King, Diodara, was second out to follow Rolan.

"Are you ready, Ise?" Rias asked.

Issei took in a deep breath. He had to calm himself down and bite back the aggressive mood the World kept him locked in. Only the likes of Rolan could make his fortitude crumble. He had to put it back up for everyone's sake.

"I'm ready," he said with a reaffirming smile. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"To be honest… I'm a little nervous," she admitted sheepishly. "I never expected any of my servants to ascend this quickly. I always knew you were special but…"

"Oh that's great…" he breathed out with a heavy sigh. "I'm not the only one that's nervous. You've no idea how big of a relief that is. Alright! I'm pumped now! Let's do this!"

She giggled at his attempt to shake off the nerves. It helped, somewhat.

He stepped out of the car. Devils in obsidian armor were lined up on both sides of an aisle. They stood erect, acting as a barricade that kept the press away. As soon as Issei's head popped out did they try to peer over and around the security guards and snap a picture of him or try to get his attention for a quick interview.

He nearly buckled by this amount of attention. He almost wanted to dive back inside the car and hide behind his master.

Instead, he held out a hand and helped Rias out of the car. Unlike him, she was flawless. A slender leg was revealed between the slip of her dress. She had done it for his eying pleasure; the knowing smile was evidence enough. Her eyes looked up at him with pride, anxiety, and a deep love.

She took his arm, pressing her left breast against his arm as they walked up the aisle. He did his best to not melt like butter at her touch. She smiled beautifully like a goddess as she waved at the cameras.

"Ise, I love you," she said to him.

He blushed furiously at her words. But he was a man, dammit! He couldn't just hear those words and not reply to them! But… there were so many people around…

"I love you too, Rias," he said with all his heart. He noticed her face blush a little. It was good to know she was just as embarrassed as he was… though she was better at hiding it. "Thank you for everything. You will always be my King."

"Of course," she said with a coy smile.

She leaned in closer and raised herself on her toes. He took the cue.

A thousand flashes went off when they kissed.

0-0-0

He was sweating and shaking while the ceremony went on. Only a few people were allowed inside to witness the events. Only the personal party of those ascending could attend.

The room was divided in half. On the right side were very few people who had come for Rolan. Some were familiar (though Issei couldn't remember their names) while others were unknown. Yet, it couldn't be missed how powerful they were. He had a feeling these people were going to attend the Rating Game. Issei tried to remember their faces for later reference.

On the left half was everyone in Issei's party. He immediately spotted the girls of his harem in the first and second row of seats. Around them and behind them were the other freeloaders like Gabriel, Li Qin, the Knights of the Round, and the remainder of the Sitri Peerage. Everyone was dressed in glamorous (and graciously revealing) dresses while the Knights of the Round (including Saji) were dressed in their pressed coat of arms suits.

"Irina," he heard Xenovia. "How did we come to this? When did we forsake our vows this much?"

"You mean visiting Hell and celebrating the coming of a new Demon Lord?" he heard Irina beside her. "I ask myself that every day. But it's Ise-kun so I'll love and support him no matter what."

"Yes. If it is for Issei then I can excuse an upbringing of Catholicism and a decade of Exorcism training. I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end."

Why did it feel like she was blaming him for something? It wasn't his fault the both of them were kicked out of the Church!

…The next few rows after that were people he recognized from Kyoto. In the public world, they were gods and leaders of other supernatural factions. But they had all attended for his sake.

He noticed Rossweisse glance over her shoulder and glare daggers at Odin. The old god quickly looked away and whistled.

Most of the ceremony blew over Issei's head. He was supposed to have been drilled in the procedure but found himself operating on auto-pilot the whole time. The knowledge Richard implanted into him got him through all of it, but he couldn't help but feel like a machine when this knowledge wasn't his in the first place.

Then, there was when Serafall announced all his achievements and why he was to be crowned as a Demon Lord.

"…for your global service under the pseudonym _Red Blur_ ," she had read from a scroll in her hands at the top of the stairs. "As a protector and valiant hero, you shall be the Underworld's guardian and a shining hope to its citizens. You, who have vanquished the Bane of Heaven, have started a new age and opened negotiations with those who we once waged war with.

"Issei Hyoudou, you have brought peace throughout the world. As a Devil, your greed and lust are just as renown as your heroics. For it was you who…"

She paused, blinked, and raised the scroll closer to her face. Her mouth was agape. She lowered it with her head snapping up at attention.

Gabriel waved back at her in the audience.

The crowds began to mumble amongst themselves at her unceremonious reaction.

Serafall looked back at the scroll, "This… This happened? You made _Gabi-chan_ Fall?! I… I can't believe it. I've been barking up that tree for centuries, Dragoon-chan. How'd you do it?"

One of the Maou sitting on the throne to the side, Ajuka Beelzebub, cleared his throat.

"R-Right," Serafall brought the scroll back up and continued to read. "You have turned the Grace of Heaven to the path of sin. You have made contracts with the Shinto, Norse, Hindu, Celtic… Greek… Polynesian… American… wait. American?! How did you make contact with the American Pantheon?! Media is shallow and Internet is a total _hikikomori_."

…America has gods?

And… when did he make contracts with these things?!

His face started to heat up. He felt the staring of those Primordial douchebags in the audience. Some of them were sighing in embarrassment or giggling for the same reasons.

He could only assume he had done all of this during his blackout in Kyoto.

Serafall straightened herself when Ajuka looked at her again. "The Chaos Karma Dragon, Dragon King Tiamat, acknowledges your worth as the Second Great Welsh. And, most recently, you have bound Dragon God Ophi—"

She bit her tongue. She flinched in pain but was more surprised by what she had just read. She brought the script back up to her eyes before gazing back into the audience.

Ophis waved back, mimicking Gabriel from before… without the smile.

Serafall dropped the scroll as her face broke out into a cold sweat.

"…Dragoon-chan," she whispered in a low voice.

"…Yes?" he asked from where he stood at the bottom of the steps.

"What did you do when I wasn't looking?"

Was she that surprised by him? She was a Maou. And she was the one in charge of the ceremony. Shouldn't she know everything about him? Wasn't she the one who composed the script in the first place?

As if reading his thoughts, Rolan shifted.

He had something to do with this. Issei didn't know how but he knew.

An attendant came to hand Serafall the next scroll while retrieving the one she dropped.

"Chase Lance Rolan," she began while pulling the scroll open.

"This outta be good," Chase muttered below his breath in both sarcasm and exceptionally rare amusement.

Serafall chose this time to read through the scroll before being surprised again. Her face changed from her bubbly personality to something cold and distant. She took on the guise of something Issei would expect from a political leader.

"Your prowess on the battlefield cannot be dismissed. You are worthy of the status of Ultimate Class and your cunning has proven to force your betters into submission. You have defended the Underworld against the forces of Heaven, the Fallen, the Reapers, and the eldritch.

"By becoming a Devil have you guaranteed the unification of all other factions you represent. Your influence in the moonlit world rivals that of the greatest empires in human history. You alone command a grand army and hold sway over several political figureheads. You wield the power to destroy the world with but a single word. That is why I, Serafall Leviathan, do hereby acknowledge your status and grant you the title of Demon Lord."

Rather than being smug about it, Rolan's brows had fallen into a flat line. He looked as disappointed as a kid who received underwear for Christmas.

"…What's your problem?" Issei muttered in a low whisper while Serafall started the next round of speeches.

"No mentioning at all about the Los Angeles Raid," he grumbled back in a low whisper. Issei had to struggle to hear him. "Not the Holy Grail War or the Sekirei Incident either. Let alone dealing with those damn Campione. I was looking forward to her admitting those were her mistakes."

Issei decided it would be best to ignore the man. He was sulking like a child anyways.

"Rolan. Hyoudou. Ascend to receive your new power," Serafall announced with a sway of her hand.

This was it. Issei gulped. This was the climax of the ceremony. Together, he climbed the stairs of the ceremony hall with Rolan. On his side stood Rias, beaming a proud and loving smile as he approached. On the other side stood Diodara Astaroth, who held his head up out of pride but could not look at Rolan's eyes.

At the top of the stairs erected a statue. Power resonated within it. The closer Issei got, the more his instincts as a Devil compelled him to bow before it. As a Devil alone, he was insignificant and couldn't produce an ounce of demonic aura. It was only by his dominating factor as a Dragon that kept him standing.

They both stopped in front of the statue. Issei was forced to wait for Rolan to take the last step. Rolan was looking up at the statue with appraisal.

"Do you know who this is?" he asked, not fully expecting an answer.

"…Satan," Issei answered. The statue wasn't of one of the original seven Princes of Darkness found in biblical lore. This statue was a monument to the original being who rebelled against God.

"Did you know he was one of us?" Rolan asked next, the smallest of smiles slipping through.

Issei looked at him.

"Did you really think someone as egotistical and immature as the Biblical God would allow _any_ of His creations to oppose him?" Rolan snorted. "Those that tried were turned to salt and ash. Those before, the Grigori, were razed with the strongest of their breed sealed away into the Well. But this man…?"

"I've never heard him mentioned once in the Evensong," Issei said.

"There are a lot of texts missing… within good reason," he finished the thought with a shrug and approached the foot of the statue.

Issei followed suite. They both bowed in respect and placed their hands on the statue. There came the slightest electric current flowing through Issei at the touch. It burned his insides for a moment. A numbness came afterwards.

It was as if the statue was testing his worth and found him… adequate.

They drew their hands away and split off to meet their Kings.

Rias stood in front of him with a crown in her hands. This was the end of the ceremony. This was the last rite.

He fell on one knee in front of her. His eyes never left hers. She approached and raised the crown over his head.

"Congratulations, Ise," she whispered softly with tenderness. "You've made it."

She placed the crown on his head. He was now free from the Gremory Peerage. Though, should she ever need him, he will always be there to serve her. He was free from her direct control to create his own peerage and manage territory both in the human world and the Underworld.

There came murmuring from the crowds.

On his side, Rolan didn't kneel. He stood tall while he looked directly at his King. Diodara matched his gaze with one of challenge. Without being able to see his face, not that it mattered, Issei could _feel_ Rolan's brow raise with amusement.

His hands reached out for the crown in Diodara's hands. Diodara didn't try to fight it, though his expression warped to one of regret and anger. Taking the crown from Diodara, Rolan crowned himself.

Issei couldn't help but frown. The man had no respect for anyone other than himself.

They both moved away from their kings to face the audience.

Demon Lord Hyoudou and Demon Lord Rolan were greeted with thunderous applause.

0-0-0

He didn't get much time to talk to his girls. They all surrounded him and congratulated him in their own way (which got them to one-up the other and eventually turn into a catfight). Rias was the one who got to spend the most amount of time with him only because she had been near him during the ceremony.

He saw Ophis getting swarmed by just as much attention. The Primordials were surrounding her, asking her questions or outright crying at the sight of her. Ophis was answering them in soft tones that were muffled by everything else happening. Her lifeless expression and gestures, for whatever reason, made the crying Primordials cry harder.

He couldn't approach the group. The girls in his harem were smothering him while they fought over his attention. Not that he minded. He was sandwiched between Akeno's, Rias', Irina's, and…

Okay. No. Someone save him. Yumi's tits were pressed against the back of his head.

The sea of girls was parted by Serafall. She stormed through the group, latched onto his arm, and dragged him away to the next appointment.

…The press conference.

Forget the ceremony! Here was where he was nervous! Rias dressed him in a pretty swanky suit (he had no preferences but took her word for how nice it was)… and made him comb his hair. But was he presentable enough? Did his breath smell? What if he stuttered and embarrass himself?

The training he had with Sona didn't cover this! It's not like he could just punch everyone in the paparazzi!

He was taken to another hall for media purposes. They stood to the side of the stage, hidden from view. The Devils had copied the interview panels seen in conventions. There was a long table with microphones and glasses of water lined up right before a swarm of media crew eagerly waiting for their time.

"Don't sweat the small stuff, Dragoon-chan," Serafall said as she checked him. She straightened his tie and brushed whatever dust had gathered on his suit. "I'll be with you on this. I'll answer all the hard questions like policies. Your cheat might have worked on the other Maou, but the press are a whole different breed of monster. They'll sniff out any lie like blood to a shark."

Cheat? Yeah, he totally did. But lie? He never lied during the interview!

Plus all they did was ask him a bunch of stupid questions about pop idols, movies, and modern marvels! What did Fidget-Spinners have to do with being a Demon Lord?!

"Just take a deep breath," she went on, even demonstrating for him.

All he cared to see was how her chest inflated when she did so.

"Oh my God you two," Rolan approached them through the same winding path they took. "Just fuck already."

"I-It's not like that!" Serafall blabbered as she pushed Isse away. "Dragoon-chan is still my responsibility. I'm only doing this so he doesn't freak out and embarrass So-tan."

Rolan looked at her with a wary gaze. "Sera… I don't know what's going on but—"

"Nothing is going on," Serafall argued back.

"I mean your behavior. You're not acting like yourself."

"Don't act like you know me so well, Obi-tan."

Rolan put up his hands. "You know what? Fine. Hyoudou, she's your problem now. Good luck."

Issei was creeped out. The man had just given him a genuine best wishes. He hadn't done that since the three-year training period. Rolan had only told him 'good luck' when, and only when, he was given a mission the man was confident Issei would kick the bucket!

Why was he treating Serafall like one of those natural disasters?

…He backpedaled. It was _Serafall_.

"Please don't insult my sister so casually," Sona said as she approached the group. "Ise, please don't agree with him either."

"B-But I didn't say anything!" he blurted back.

Sona gave him a look. Everything she needed to know was written all over his face. She just knew him that well.

"W-What are you doing here, Sona?" he asked to cover for himself. "Where's everyone else? Are they coming to watch too?"

"Rias and the rest are… managing the last minute details for the festivities afterwards," Sona said while shooting Rolan a glare. "We planned on celebrating in the Gremory Palace but… the ascension of two Demon Lords deems it important enough for a grand ball. All High-Class Devils and above will be in attendance."

"A-All of them?" his voice was small.

"Everyone was invited but there are a few who can't make it," Rolan answered dryly.

"I see…" Issei nodded. "Then you're the one who set this up?"

"Naturally."

"You can't let me have any fun, can you?" Issei sighed.

"I'm not stopping you from fucking all those girls," Rolan bit back. "Just do it on your own damn time. It's not like you don't have plenty of that already."

Issei was _so ready_ to break open his skull. But not here. Soon. Very soon. The Rating Game was around the corner.

"…Not enough time," Sona repeated the mantra that triggered everyone living in the Hyoudou house. "Ise, I'm here because I'm part of the interview."

"What interview?" Issei blinked.

"The press conference right now," Rolan answered as he glanced around the corner. "This isn't just a quick question panel about the new Demon Lords. Remember, Hyoudou, your challenge to me only had credibility as a Demon Lord. Now that your title is official, our match will be made official. Do you know what that means?"

"…You're announcing it?" Issei frowned. "And you demanded Sona here because she's the reason we're fighting?"

"How perceptive," Rolan praised just like before. "Yes. She's the prize at the bottom of the box. Now, I _suppose_ Sera is just here because she's to be your Knight Proxy."

"Sona is more than just a prize," Issei argued.

"That doesn't excuse she's a prize," Rolan pointed out dryly.

"Sir Rolan," Sona spoke up before Issei could lose it. She knew he was on edge. "Can I ask you what this is all about? In light of recent events, I don't believe your engagement with me has anything to do with Ise. You could have dismissed the challenge and leave it be. Why continue to fight?"

Here it was. The reason why he was having a Rating Game. It had haunted everyone since learning about the chess game.

Rolan waved a hand. The space around them shimmered. The area was sealed off with the outside noise cut out. Just like in the limousine, they were in their own reality. He didn't want anyone else to hear them.

"I like you, Sona," he said straight. "I wouldn't mind being married to you."

They waited. He wasn't going to say anything else.

"…You can't be serious," Sona said flatly.

"…Well fuck you too," Rolan said sourly.

"You don't love me, Sir Rolan. If you truly did, you'd realize I am unhappy with this situation and you would release me from this burden."

"Like and love are two different things," he raised a finger. "I _like_ you. And I don't want to see you die because Hyoudou is incapable of protecting anything."

He snapped a finger and turned away. The space around them returned to normal with the noise coming through like a wave. The noise increased along with flashes of light once Rolan stepped from behind the scenes to reach his seat in the far right.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Issei muttered lowly.

"I think someone's jealous," Serafall said with a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "Don't worry too much about it, Dragoon-chan. You're just as strong as Obi-tan. Even if you're the mainstream _Reddobura,_ you're overqualified to protect So-tan."

Even if? What was that supposed to mean? Why did it sound like such a backhanded compliment?

They entered the main room. Issei was nearly blinded by the flashing of lights. Things began to calm down once everyone took their seats. Issei was forced to sit next to Rolan with Serafall on his right. And Sona took the final seat beside her sister.

Rolan tapped twice on his microphone. The audio buzzed at his touch.

"Thank you all for coming," he began in a bland and almost bored tone. "While I'm sure you all have a number of questions to ask, I would like to make an announcement before we begin. There are a number of rumors circulating throughout the internet and social media as of late regarding my affair with the Sitri Heiress. I'd like make a few things clear about that.

"As it turns out, due to the lack of communication on our part, both Hyoudou and I are engaged to Sona Sitri. We have no interest in sharing with her and thus have we decided to settle this affair through an unconventional Rating Game."

"We already knew about that," someone from the crowd spoke for everyone. Several heads nodded in agreement.

"…What?" Rolan voiced out what everyone in the panel was thinking.

"Here, King Oberon!" a green-skinned girl with a beaming smile called out. She stood and threw her phone overhand.

Rolan caught it and looked at it. His brows fell into a flat line while he slid it across the table so Issei could see what was on it too.

 _ **"This Sunday— Sunday— SUNDAY!"**_

…It… it was a commercial.

 _ **"Live at the newly designed Shaytan Shell Stadium in the Underworld, a match for the ages!**_

 _ **"King Oberon of the Fae VERSUS—**_

 _ **"Demon Lord Issei Hyoudou!**_

 _ **"Winner takes the hand of Sona Sitri!**_

 _ **"BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!**_

 _ **"…Sponsored by Good'nuff Burgers."**_

There were explosions, colorful words, and a flash of profile images of each person mentioned in the video. It looked like a shoddy convention commercial advertising some monster truck event.

"…Fucking fairies," Rolan muttered under his breath. He handed the phone to one of the security guards, who climbed down the steps to hand the phone back to the reporter.

Issei looked around the room once more. He spotted several characters with different colored skin. They didn't possess demonic aura as far as he could tell. They must have been fairies. They must be here to find the latest scoop on their king.

Rolan had an elbow propped on the table while he was rubbing his temple.

One reporter, a Devil, raised her hand, "Everis Graymore from UnderTimes… Online. Can you tell us who else will be participating in this Rating Game? Will there be enough time for you to assemble a full peerage or is this specifically between the two of you?"

"It… It's not a normal Rating Game between Devils," Issei spoke up.

"That's right," Serafall chirped and jumped in. "Neither Hyoudou-kun or Sir Rolan have a peerage at the moment. Specifically, this is a duel between them individually rather than as Devils. As such, the Rating Game can consist of anyone from other factions to represent them.

"For example, since we're not following the Rating Game protocol for Devils, I will be taking the role of Hyoudou-kun's Knight Proxy and fight at his side against King Oberon."

The crowd exploded with questions. Issei could make out questions regarding Serafall's involvement, to how Sona felt about all of this, to even… what Rolan's favorite color was.

Issei kinda understood why Rolan hated his own people. Fairies were just weird.

Incidentally, Issei realized how big of a deal this was for Serafall to be participating. It went more than her being one of their leaders and openly opposing Rolan. The Maou were forbidden from participating in Rating Games because of how unfair their powers were. Their peerages could but never their Kings.

This would be the first time in history one of the Maou was going to play the game.

Rolan pointed at one person in the crowd. The noise died down while that one reporter remained standing.

"Allister Treust with the Lilith Times," the reporter announced himself with a notepad at the ready. "King Oberon, you've sworn the vows before your new Devil King, yet she is against this affair entirely; enough so to meet you in battle. Would you not say this is a matter of treason?"

Rolan snorted. He didn't answer. He blinked as he stared at the reporter.

"Oh. You're serious. Sera is a big girl. She's entitled to her own opinion and has voiced it to me numerous times. Just the same, I am my own person and will be carrying out my own agenda. It is only through a technicality that exists outside the law will she be allowed in the Rating Game in the first place. If she is so set on opposing me, I will respect her honor and challenge her with equal force."

"Do you mean to say you accepted this Rating Game under another of your titles rather than as a Demon Lord?" the reporter asked before anyone else could.

"The challenge was issued to King Oberon of the Fae explicitly," Rolan glanced at Issei through the corner of his eye. "We are following the ways of old in a duel between kings. We and our champions will be fighting over a prize. We only call it a Rating Game because the rules we discussed were heavily inspired by the one used in Devil Society."

The man finally sat down. It was the signal for everyone else to throw their voice out to get attention.

"Sona Sitri," the reporter Serafall acknowledged was a frazzled thing. She didn't announce herself like the rest. There was a crazed, almost hungry look in her eyes. "Can you tell us your personal interest in this affair? Is Demon Lord Hyoudou really your secret lover while you've been promised off to King Oberon?"

The man sitting beside her sighed heavily and planted his face into his hand. They were wearing matching pins. Her partner, Issei assumed. There was a story between them.

"I assure you there is nothing secret between Demon Lord Hyoudou and I," Sona said crisply without a hitch. "In regards to my personal interest, I have no romantic interest in King Oberon and would preferably not marry him. However, I do have a duty as the Sitri Heiress and will carry it out if I must.

"On another note, I wish for my boyfriend, Ise, to break his spine in half in the Rating Game."

The next explosion of questions were specifically for Issei. He glanced at Sona, hoping she would save him and ask why she put him in the spotlight like this. She only had a proud shine in her eyes. When looking at Serafall, she could barely hold back her smile.

He glanced over to Rolan. The man looked back without a change in expression.

"Um… You," Issei pointed to the pretty reporter with large breasts when none of the others were going to pick someone. It was purely coincidence the one who got his attention had a nice rack! Honest!

"High Queen Titania of the Fae," the reporter announced.

"Oh fucking hell," he heard Rolan swear under his breath.

The curse made the woman's smile broaden, "Your Grace, what is it about the Sitri Heiress you find so charming as to desire her hand in holy matrimony instead of the one already promised to you?"

Her smile was too broad and her eyes too sharp. There was something murderous behind that beautiful face. It was full of the same promised dread Issei found behind the smile of his girls whenever he royally fucked up.

"Because, Titania, you're crazy and she's not," was Rolan's straight answer.

"I'll be crazy as much as I want, _My King_!" she protested.

"See that just proves me point!"

"You always get the crazies," cackled Serafall behind her hand.

"Kettle, pot, black," Rolan snapped back.

"Do…" Issei spoke to the woman. He would have never guessed she was a fairy. She looked so… normal. "Do you have anything else to ask? Or can we move on?"

She pouted for a moment before facing him, "Yes. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why My King favors the Sitri Heiress so much. Tell me, Demon Lord Hyoudou, what is the best quality of Sona Sitri you find irresistible?"

The World was warning him to keep his mouth shut. To answer differently. To lie if he had to. It was one of those small warnings and it had lately been annoying these past few days. It was always warning him about something. Lately, it had warned him over petty things about his harem. Right now wasn't any different.

"Her breasts," he answered without hesitation.

Sona sputtered with her head snapping his way. He felt her piercing glare try to burn a hole through her. Hell, she could probably do it if she converted the heat circulating through her burning face.

Hey! He was being honest!

It didn't stop Serafall from pinching his waist under the table while shooting him one of those murderous smiles.

The rest of the press were stunned silent.

"Her… breasts?" Titania repeated in question.

The World was warning him a little louder. Just a little. He may as well listen this time.

"W-Well, that's just one of the things," he tried to laugh it off. "Sona is a really remarkable person! She's like the smartest person I know. I always look up to her because everything she does she puts her all in it. She sees an impossibility as a challenge and rarely shirks away from them. She's so together with everything I can't help but want to be just like her.

"She's also my best friend," he found himself able to say these things naturally. "I've known her for the entirety of my high school life. She helped me a lot with my studies as well as whenever I messed up. Back when I was stumbling around… she would patch me back up. I feel like I wouldn't be alive a couple of times if not for her. More than that, she always stuck by me no matter how chaotic things got.

"I… would like to stay with her and support her just as much as she did with me. I love her."

He had a rare sight of Sona blushing and looking away. She couldn't meet his gaze, nor that of anyone else. Her head was bowed with a hand over most of her face to fight back her rosy face.

Titania seemed satisfied with the answer. She gave Rolan a smug smile before taking her seat. His brows creased slightly but that was all Rolan did in reaction. Issei had no idea what was between them and would rather not get involved.

"Bruehilse Anderson with the Sulfur Tribune," another reporter was permitted. "There's been a lot of gossip regarding you and the Gremory Heiress, Demon Lord. Can you share with us your relationship with her and how it pertains with the upcoming Rating Game?"

He didn't know why, but Rolan turned his head to look at Issei. He was listening just as intently as everyone else.

Issei paused before answering and exchanged a look with Rolan.

The World was suddenly warning him louder than ever before. To answer this question… something terrible will happen.

He scoffed at it. He wasn't afraid of Rolan. Let the man try to do his worst.

"Just like with Sona, Rias is also my girlfriend," Issei answered matter-of-factly. "I'm also in a relationship with a few others. It's always been my dream to have a harem!"

He received a few agreeable nods. The standards in the Underworld were completely different than the human world! Polygamy was pretty common down here.

He wasn't done, "But… Rias is a little special. We haven't set a date yet but… we plan on getting married!"

He couldn't help but feel elated at those words. He was a little excited. He had just confessed to these people he was going to marry the woman he loved.

So then… why did it feel like the World had just given up on him?

"Hyoudou."

The one utter of his name made the entire room go still. Everyone fell into silence.

Rolan was still staring at him. The same murderous intent he had exuded within the car was being unleashed right now. His elbows were propped on the table with hands cupped together under his chin. He didn't say anything as he drew back his anger to be able to speak. When he did, his voice was low and full of disgust.

"I know you're a sad and desperate soul but… why would you want to marry the woman who killed your child?"

His words made no sense. Issei looked to Serafall and Sona. They had no better idea than he did.

When he looked back at Rolan, his eyes had flashed with insight. The murderous intent had reeled back with understanding. Whatever he saw in Issei made him lean back in his chair and let out a sigh.

"You don't know. Well. I think I just broke my record. I just destroyed a marriage before it could even start."

Rolan made a gesture for the next reporter to ask a question.

Issei stopped paying attention after that. His mind raced. What Rolan said shook him and he didn't know why. It meant something. It bothered him like an itch he couldn't scratch. It was something he didn't want to know. Yet… it was something he needed to know.

His mind was searching for the answer. His mind found clues. Things he had ignored intently or mistook as unimportant. Suspicions he shouldn't have had but had anyways.

The way Rolan treated Rias today. The things he said about her in her presence. The way Rias reacted. The way she was behaving lately. This sudden obsession with him. The marriage proposal.

The guilt. So much guilt. Ever since… the brothers.

He stood and left the panel. He ignored everyone else. The World told him anyways Sona had followed after him. Serafall and Rolan stayed behind.

He felt Rolan's stare at his back. It left quickly, dismissing him entirely.

0-0-0

"Ise," she tried to get him to stop.

Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong. This wasn't Issei. What Rolan had said shook him and reverted him back to what he once was all those years ago. Issei was frightened by something and was hunting down a ghost of something.

"Ise, what is it?" she followed in his steps, sometimes taking a leap or two by how fast he was pacing. "Please. Stop already and tell me."

"I need to find Rias," he said in almost a mantra. He never looked at Sona. His attention was locked in finding the quickest route to Rias. His eyes were glazed. He was listening too intently to the World. More like… the World was guiding him.

He wasn't in full control of himself. Just what had Rolan done to him?

She couldn't stop him. He walked down the hallways. They did not return to the ceremony hall like before. Issei knew where everyone was. She followed him down a different path. This one was full of servants and lingering nobility. This hallway led to the ballroom.

Issei walked straight past the usher, who tried to get him to stop so to be properly announced. She quietly apologized to him and hurried after Issei.

It was too soon for the ball to begin, but a number of guests had arrived. Most of the Primordials masquerading as gods and spirits had left after the coronation. Sona recognized several Pillar Heads, their heirs or siblings, and their best peerage servants. They all glanced at Issei with either scorn, hunger, or fear. He ignored each and every one of them, even the ones daring enough to try and get his attention.

It didn't take them long to find Rias. She was with Akeno and Kiba. The rest of the group was scattered in their own parties all over the room.

It was Kiba who first noticed something was dreadfully wrong. Her face hardened with her smile dropping completely into a neutral mask. Excalibur had sensed it just as well and stood a little closer to her partner.

"Ise?" Rias noticed Kiba's reaction and turned her head. She saw his expression and was full of worry. "What is it? What's wrong?"

There was something dangerous coming off of Kiba. Her eyes had sharpened. It wasn't missed how she stood in front of Rias suddenly.

"Rias… I need to know something," Issei stopped to catch his breath. He blinked, almost as if realizing he was in a completely different space than he was before. He shook his head and stared straight at Rias. "Rolan… he said something to me. Something I can't shake off. He's so sure of himself about it I can't just ignore it as one of his tricks. I… That thing you wanted to talk about. Before I left for Kyoto. What was it? I need to know."

There were too few guests at the moment to hide this from everyone. Everyone had noticed Issei's presence and had silenced their conversations out of curiosity. The rest of Hyoudou House were starting to flock back together.

Sona was watching Rias. Her face was whitening.

"That," she said with fright. It was something she had hoped would never come to light. "That is…"

Issei stepped closer to her. Kiba's eyes flashed in warning.

"Ise…" Rias' voice was low. "Let's… Let's go home. This is something we need to talk elsewhere."

Her words were furthest from reassuring. Rias knew what Rolan had talked about. Even when, Sona had noticed, Issei never shared what exactly Rolan said. It meant Rias was guilty of something.

Something about a child.

…No. It couldn't be.

Sona wouldn't dare voice this thought. She didn't want to believe in it.

"…Okay," he nodded with a numb voice. "Okay. I think Tia-nee is still here. I'll ask if she can…"

"Husband," Rossweisse spoke up. "I can send you. I will remain here in your stead."

"Um… T-Thank you, Rossweisse-san," he said distantly. It was as if he was awakening from a long sleep.

"Of course," she said with understanding. "I can do this much. I will cover for you in the affairs of the court. Will everyone be going as well?"

Rossweisse looked around the group.

"No," Rias shook her head. "This is between Ise and I. I'm sorry for making you do this."

"Buchou," Kiba spoke up. "Would it be alright if I came along? If this is about what I think it is, there will be things that will need to be explained. I don't think you're in a state to share such things."

Issei's eyes flickered over to Kiba. Kiba stared straight back.

"Thank you, but this is mine alone to bear," Rias said with a sad smile. "I'm sure everything will be okay in the end. We just need… to talk."

Kiba showed doubt. But she didn't protest against Rias.

They left the room with Rossweisse to find a place to set a teleportation circle.

Sona couldn't look away as she watched them go.

"Akeno, please tell me," she spoke once she knew Issei was out of hearing distance. "Was Rias pregnant?"

The Gremory Queen fidgeted where she stood. It was all the confirmation she needed.

"Pregnant?" the ever-innocent Asia gasped. "Rias is pregnant? With Ise's child?! O-Oh! But… why couldn't she tell him here? I want to see it when she tells him…"

"Was, Asia," Akeno breathed out. "Buchou… _was_ pregnant."

The group could not say another word as their breath was taken away.

0-0-0

The makeshift Dragon Gate Rossweisse designed teleported them back to his house. Upon Rias' request, they were dropped into his bedroom.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the side for him to join her. He did, sitting close enough for their knees to be touching. She didn't say anything while she kept her head bowed. He felt her heart hammering and her nerves on fire.

He reached for her hand. She clutched his back as hard as she could. Her hands were shaking.

"I… was looking for the right moment," she began. Her voice was on the edge of tears. What mask she had put up for the event, let alone for his sake in the past few days, had crumbled away. "I could never find it. I wanted to tell you. But I couldn't. I didn't want to bother you. Not with everything else that's happened before. Not now. But I knew I had to tell you at some point. I just didn't know when."

He waited patiently. His mind was gnawing at him. The voice in the back of his head was telling him to not listen. The World had warned him. It warned him several times and he ignored it. Now all it could do was ease him into it for the sake of getting it over and done with.

The World had virtually given up on trying to protect him.

"Ise," she looked up at him through reddened eyes. "You love me? You love me no matter what?"

He didn't need the World to warn him, not that it would. His own intuition did that for him.

What could she have done to beg him of this? Of course he loved her more than anything. There was no denying that. He never will. But what had she done to push her this far?

Oh. He knew what it was. Deep down in the core of his being he knew. After all, Rolan had announced it for the world to hear. And Issei knew the truth.

But he wouldn't believe it until it came from Rias' lips.

"I always will," he said back to her.

His words didn't stir her out of her doubts. If anything, they made it worse. Her lips were quivering. She didn't want to say anything further. A great amount of fear was circling around her and he knew nothing he said or did would pull her out of this. They couldn't stop. This wasn't something they could ignore and pretend had never happened.

"I don't know where to start," she said so quietly he almost missed it. "I wasn't sure about it myself. The tests came back negative. But… Rolan, and even Lord Royals… they were sure of it. They knew somehow before I did. What really confirmed it was what Lord Royals said to me… after the brothers of the Vampire attacked."

She took a deep, shaking breath. Her eyes looked up at him.

Absolute horror and regret swam through her.

"I was hurt. I… had lost my life. That man, Joshua, he ripped out my heart. I would have been dead if not for Asia. But… she couldn't…"

He wanted to reassure there was nothing wrong. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. She had been outclassed. Josh was a Candidate, someone right at the edge of becoming a Predator. From the story, he had been able to push Yuuto and his Excalibur.

But… there was more to this story. Something within him was telling him so.

"I was down for too long. Asia didn't know when she healed me. Ise… I lost the baby."

Everything he had ever doubted and suspected came crashing through his skull. Every instance he dismissed, had ignored, or was clueless about forced its way to the front of his mind.

The story; Rias had been pregnant. With his child. And when she confronted the brothers of the Vampire… she had died. Temporarily, if not for Asia's Balance Breaker, but more than long enough. The child was lost.

His child was lost.

His child.

 **Kill.**

"…Ise?"

What had she been thinking? She must have known. She should have known. If she had these concerns prior to the brothers' arrival then she should have taken precautions. Why did she feel the need to oppose them? Why did she risk herself to fight a force beyond her? Serene had been there, absolutely, but she had been quelled by another Candidate.

Everything was falling apart. Everything.

 **Kill.**

He couldn't take it.

How much must he lose? Why must everything be taken away from him? Why must he lose _everything_ because he was born with this power?!

His parents were murdered before his eyes. His friends were never even real. His adoptive sister was tortured and cursed. The seven others who could ever hope to understand him had betrayed them; and those he had forgiven and trusted again were gone forever.

 **Kill.**

He had nothing left. He had thought… maybe with these people… people he had considered his _friends_ and _lovers…_ He could have a family.

A family. He could have had a family with Rias. They would have had a child together. His child. His direct line, his own blood, _his_ son or daughter to raise and parent.

 **Kill.**

The dreams of a family were gone with this.

 **Kill.**

The last people, the only ones he believed would never betray him…

 **Kill. Kill. Kill.**

They all kept this secret from him.

 **KILL. KILL. KILL.**

He couldn't trust them.

 _ **KILL!**_

0-0-0

"Ise?" she breathed out, frightened when his hands slipped out of hers. She couldn't stop him when he rose out of his seat and took a few steps forward.

"Why…?" he croaked.

His voice was distant. Lost. His eyes were glazed as he stared out into the open. She couldn't find an answer for him.

"Why didn't you run?" he growled. "You knew, didn't you? Why didn't you run? You had to have known about the threat. You had to have known about yourself. Why didn't you get away?!"

He wasn't asking her. Not her directly. He wouldn't look at her.

"I was trying to protect them," she argued anyways through tears. "My friends! I am still their King and Kuoh is mine to protect! I had a responsibility!"

"Do you think a _building_ was worth everyone's lives?!" he bellowed.

The humanoid illusion he kept up was falling apart. Scales were appearing over his skin, his teeth sharpening into fangs. His eyes were glowing with emerald light. The room was becoming thick and hot with his power.

"Your responsibility was to make sure everyone lived! Why did you have to try and fight them?! One of them was a Candidate! You should have ran as soon as you learned they were related to the Vampire! I barely survived against him! What made you think you could take on anyone related to him?!"

She was shaking. Her eyes were wide. He didn't mean these words. He couldn't have. She tried to see it his way. He was hurting. He was breaking just like how she did. He was furious and didn't know how to control himself.

More of his skin was coming apart. He was becoming more draconian by the second.

"Why…? Why? Why?! WHY?!"

He haunched over and placed his hands over his ears. His face was warping with extreme pain.

"I-Ise…" she said through sobs. She understood his pain. But she couldn't stop the tears. Nothing she could say would get through to him. Not now. Not as long as he was like this.

She tried to go to him. A touch. All she wanted to do was touch him to alleviate some of the pain. She wanted to show him how sorry she was and how much she loved him. She wanted to share how much pain she was going through as well.

He unleashed a voiceless bellow and spun around.

The world went white as she felt as light as a feather. The euphoria shattered as soon as she crashed against the furnishings.

When she next came to, Issei was staring at her. His eyes were wide and crazed. They were dilated. He crouched low with a deep reverberating growl in his throat. It was as if all shred of humanity had been torn out of him.

She had never been terrified of him before. She loved him. She trusted him. She believed he would never harm him despite being a Predator. All it would take from him was a decision and she would be dead.

Even now, she wasn't terrified.

But she was heartbroken.

She began to cry.

Something within him returned. A spark of sanity. His eyes twitched.

He let out a deafening roar. His Gift of Flight blazed from his back.

In a flash, he flew through the ceiling.

Only a second later did Richard Royals break through the door, a spear in hand and arcane forces circulating through the other. He checked the room, spotted the hole Issei had made, and quickly approached Rias.

"Ise… I…" she whispered with her face falling into her hands.

0-0-0

Lieutenant David Scottsdale and his men were dumped in the fires of the Middle East to find and execute a slaver. Like finding a needle in a haystack. Even when the Captain told him where exactly he would find this man, David knew it was going to be more difficult than the briefing cared to tell.

Their target had a massive bounty over his head for a reason. He didn't understand why the Captain allows this to happen. He liked to leave these criminals running around, amassing their armies and empires, and wreaking havoc all around them. He was essentially fattening them up like pigs. Now, either they would become useful and win him the blue ribbon… or could be cut down and serve juicy bacon.

In other words, Chase would either use the man's power to agitate another force, or grow too far out of control and need someone else to clean up his mess. This wasn't the first time David and his men were sent to do this. _Why_ his queen listened to him after all these years baffled him. But orders were orders.

He was damning the little shit when two of his men were shot down, another had his legs blown off, and a fourth was choking on his own blood with shrapnel in his lungs.

David _really_ hoped whatever it was Chase was doing was more important than this.

"This is Team Delta," Westfield, one of the few who managed to survive, shouted into the transmitter strapped to his shoulder. "We're pinned down! Requesting aerial support for evacuation."

 _"Negative, Delta,"_ the voice transmitted back. _"It's too hot in there. You need to deal with their anti-aircraft before we can send in our choppers."_

"RPG!" David shouted and pulled Westfield away.

They both dove for the stairs, tumbling down just as a deafening boom and concussive blast knocked the wind out of him. His ears were ringing and head spinning. But he couldn't afford to stay down. Not when they were pinned like this. They were compromised. They needed to find better cover now that two-thirds of the wall was blown open.

"My leg…" croaked Westfield.

Fucking Christ! Westfield couldn't get up. A piece of pipe had impaled through his thigh. It was a fucking miracle it had missed the artery.

"Dammit West," David swore and grabbed the man by the straps of his pack. He began to drag the man while keeping his body low. Too many bullets were hissing by.

He felt three of them prick at him. It felt like a snake had bit into his ass and arms. He tried to stay on his feet. Adrenaline pumped through him. He kept dragging Westfield's useless body deeper into the building.

…Until another bullet tore open his waist. It had avoided his intestines, but the wound was gaping and blood was flowing too fast. He found himself crouching further, trying to close the wound with the folds of his stomach. The pain made him focus harder. He was going to get out of this no matter what.

Meanwhile, Westfield was shooting back like a madman. He wasn't sure if the man was making his target. Probably not. All he could do was offer suppressive fire.

Suddenly, there came the sound of a heavy impact across the lot. The building and ground shook. A cloud of dust blew through the hallway. It granted them enough coverage to hide their presence and a good enough distraction for the enemy to stop shooting.

David thought those Red Tide lunatics had decided to carry their weight and send a missile to blow the bunker. What did they care if they took out David and the rest of his men? Assuming if they were alive, of course. But, no. There was no explosion. Either the missile was a dud or…

And then, there came the sound of screaming.

…Following after that was the primal, guttural, bloodthirsty snarls of a monster straight out of a horror fic. It wasn't right. It shouldn't be real. It was the sound of something David had never heard before nor did he ever want to.

It made his balls drop.

Fear. David was feeling cold fear.

Guns continued to blaze but no more were they pointed at David and Westfield. The enemy kept shooting, shouting in their tongue. But they were all in a frenzy.

Whatever they were fighting was rampaging around. Explosion after explosion could be heard while David continued to press forward.

He thought he had gotten far away enough. Far enough from the heat of the battle.

A man was knocked through a wall right in front of him. Had he been a few seconds faster then he would have been blown aside with him. The man flew across the hall and splattered against the opposite concrete wall. His blood splashed everywhere.

There were deep gashes across his back. And his face was half melted. David wasn't sure which of any of these things killed the man first.

But another look at the figure told David something. This one was far better dressed than the cronies who had been shooting for the past hour. He had golden chains and rings. His clothes were made out of silk.

This man was their target.

A flash of red flew out of the hole in the wall and struck at the corpse. The collision created a blast that forced David to swiftly turn and shield his head. Shrapnel pelted his pads but never penetrated. He also felt the insides of his target wash over him.

A claw grabbed onto the edge of the hole and pull itself out.

What David saw was a monstrous creature. It was humanoid, or at least as humanoid as can possibly be. A biped with reptilian skin. There was a glossy covering in misplaced areas all over its body; it resembled more liken to armor than a shell.

The face was human. Or of human likeness. A man's face. But it was warped. The mouth stretched open too much and was full of razor teeth. The eyes were large and glowing a florescent green.

The creature's head snapped his way.

It felt like a gun had been pointed to his head and there was nothing he could do to stop the trigger from being pulled. Whether he lived or died next depended on the monster in front of him.

Likewise, Westfield dropped the pistol he had pointed at the monster from numb fingers. His hand was still outstretched, too petrified to react any further.

David didn't know whether it was out of mercy, it didn't see them as a threat, or couldn't be bothered with. But the creature turned away; its head snapping up towards the east. Its eyes were locked on something only it could see.

With a low growl, liken to a wolf ready to lunge for its meal, the creature crouched low. Fire burned out of its back, streaming in every color imaginable. It wasn't just a blaze of uncontrollable torches. The fires formed a pair of wings!

Those wings and this form. It wasn't shell after all. That was armor!

This was the Red Blur!

The monster took off towards the sky, breaking through the building with careless effort, seeking its new target elsewhere.


End file.
